Carlisle manager Paul Simpson praised his side’s character after they left it late to secure a 2-1 win over Port Vale and move off the bottom of League One.
Jon Mellish scored the decisive goal in the third minute of stoppage-time after Jordan Gibson’s penalty in the 80th minute cancelled out Ben Garrity’s opener just after half-time.
Victory ends a nine-match winless run for the Cumbrians and sees them move up two places to 22nd.
“You have to do your own job,” Simpson said. “There’s no point worrying about anybody else.
“We have to do our job and the fact that we’ve won today and the way that we’ve gone about it (is pleasing).
“The character that the players showed was tremendous – they just kept plugging away, kept doing it.”
Carlisle had the better of the first-half chances but were punished for not taking them when Garrity struck in the 49th minute for his ninth league goal of the season.
Gibson brought the hosts level with 10 minutes remaining, sending Connor Ripley the wrong way from the penalty spot after Jack Robinson was fouled in the area.
And the home fans were sent into raptures in the dying moments as Mellish headed home Robinson’s cross to secure all three points.
“In the first-half today, we did more than enough to be going in ahead but we didn’t finish things off,” Simpson added.
“And then when you concede that goal, it’s such a sucker punch that you think, ‘oh here we go again’.
“But again, the supporters – they stuck with us, they kept making the noise. The players responded because they kept playing the football and kept creating chances.
“I’m so pleased for everybody that we’ve managed to get three points.”
Defeat for Vale, which came on the back of a 3-0 win over Blackpool last time out, sees them drop one place to 15th.
Manager Andy Crosby put the loss down to a lack of concentration from his team for the winning goal.
“We don’t get set up right,” he said. “To concede from that situation in the last minute of the game is obviously very disappointing.
“Our retention of the ball throughout the whole game was poor.
“We managed to get ourselves in front just after half-time with another goal from Ben but we struggled in the first-half to try and dominate (Joe) Garner off the first contacts, which meant that we had to do a lot of defending.
“We had to defend our box and you then get yourselves in front and it gives you something to look after.
“But our retention of the ball meant we could never really get up the pitch enough and get our wing-backs higher.
“And then we give a penalty away and we concede from a corner in the 93rd minute.”
Vlahovic: 'Easier' to play for Serbia than Juventus
Dusan Vlahovic says he finds it "easier" to play in Serbia's tactical approach than at Juventus.
The striker has started all 16 games since Thiago Motta took over this season, scoring nine goals in all competitions, with six of those coming in Serie A.
His recent form saw him recalled to Serbia's squad for the Nations League matches this international break, and he got an assist for their equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Saturday.
Overall, Vlahovic has racked up 50 goals at Juve since his move from Fiorentina in January 2022, but he seemingly suggested his game would improve in a different system.
Motta favours a 4-2-3-1 system, with Vlahovic playing as a lone striker, whereas on international duty, he plays as part of a front two, most recently alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic.
"It is a bit easier for me when there is another striker because Mitrovic holds up the ball and engages in aerial duels, so I can make more of my own characteristics and qualities," Vlahovic told RSI when asked the differences between playing for Serbia and Juventus.
"The coach also does not require many defensive duties from me, so that makes it easier too.
"With my physicality, I can't really run that much and am not as fresh in my finishing when I've been working so hard."
Everton clinch Merseyside derby win in Goodison Park's WSL farewell
Everton claimed their first Women's Super League victory of the season by overcoming rivals Liverpool 1-0 in Sunday's Merseyside derby.
Katja Snoeijs converted a contentiously awarded penalty late in the first half at Goodison Park, and despite handing the initiative to Liverpool for much of the game, Everton came away with a much-needed win that lifted them off the foot of the table.
Honoka Hayashi's goal against Crystal Palace in Everton's previous fixture had ended a run of 611 minutes without a Toffees player netting in the WSL, and the Japanese midfielder was the player fouled by her compatriot Fuka Nagano, with the referee pointing to the spot despite the challenge seemingly taking place just outside the box.
Liverpool, who attempted 569 passes – their highest total this season – could not find the equaliser despite mustering 17 shots and 1.5 expected goals (xG), with 0.78 of Everton's 0.9 xG taken up by Snoeijs' spot-kick.
Reds boss Matt Beard has now failed to win any of his last eight meetings with Everton in the WSL since winning 2-1 away from home with West Ham in October 2018 (D2 L5).
Everton, meanwhile, won at Goodison Park in the WSL for the first time at the fifth attempt, in what was their final match in the competition at the iconic stadium.
Aston Villa edged out Palace 3-2 in a five-goal thriller at Villa Park, with Ebony Salmon scoring a last-gasp winner.
Villa looked set to be denied their first win of the season when Annabel Blanchard made it 2-2 with just four minutes remaining.
Yet Salmon popped up in the 94th minute to lash home after pouncing on a loose ball on the edge of Palace's area.
My Cato put Palace ahead on the half-hour, but quickfire goals from Anna Patten and Rachel Daly put Villa ahead at the break.
Villa are now unbeaten in their last seven WSL matches against promoted teams, while manager Robert de Pauw avoided becoming the first boss since Jonathan Morgan in November 2021 to fail to win his first eight games in charge of a team in the competition.
In Sunday's other game, Manchester United downed Leicester City 2-0 to get back to winning ways after a run of three straight draws.
Norwegian duo Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet Ildhusoy got the goals for the Red Devils at the King Power Stadium, with Marc Skinner's side in fifth, six points adrift of leaders Chelsea, though the same number of points ahead of Liverpool in sixth.
Matters might have been different had Leicester's Hannah Cain not squandered a golden chance in the 38th minute when she somehow fired wide from point-blank range.
Tottenham's Odobert undergoes hamstring surgery
Tottenham have confirmed that Wilson Odobert has undergone surgery for a hamstring injury.
The 19-year-old joined Spurs from Burnley in August and made five appearances in all competitions for the north London side.
He managed just 162 minutes in his three Premier League matches, creating three chances in that time, but has not featured in the competition since their 1-0 loss to Arsenal in mid-September.
His last appearance was a two-minute cameo in the Europa League group stage amid ongoing hamstring problems.
"We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday (Saturday 16th November)," Spurs said on social media.
"The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training."
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