Liam Sercombe’s first-half strike earned Cheltenham a priceless 1-0 away victory over fellow strugglers Carlisle.

The midfielder reacted quickest to touch in George Lloyd’s pass after Carlisle goalkeeper Tomas Holy spilled the ball while trying to prevent a corner in the 27th minute.

It meant that after failing to score in their opening 11 games of the campaign, improving Cheltenham have now scored in 10 successive matches, during which run they have picked up all four of their wins this season.

Darrell Clarke’s men are still bottom of the League One standings, but are now within three points of safety.

Cheltenham lost in-form striker Will Goodwin to injury inside three minutes, but with the strong wind behind them, they began to create chances.

Substitute Lloyd, who replaced Goodwin, had the ball in the net in the eighth minute, but the offside flag was raised.

Carlisle then had a goal disallowed of their own, with Jon Mellish denied in the 20th minute.

Cheltenham opened the scoring soon after that and went close again through Rob Street in the 44th minute, before Jordan Gibson saw a shot saved for the hosts before the break.

Carlisle applied pressure in the second half, but a shot over the bar from Dan Butterworth in the 75th minute was all they could muster and they are now without a win in seven.