Match ends, Peterborough United 1, Carlisle United 3.
Jon Mellish scored a hat-trick as rock-bottom Carlisle stunned promotion-chasing Peterborough with a shock success in League One.
Midfielder Mellish, who had only previously scored twice all season, did the damage as Paul Simpson's basement boys bagged just a sixth win of a torrid campaign.
Mellish rose unchallenged to meet substitute Jordan Gibson's cross after Posh switched off from a Dylan McGeouch short corner as Carlisle took a 27th minute lead.
The same man doubled their advantage three minutes into the second half when he struck an impressive volley past Posh goalkeeper Jed Steer, following a weak defensive header from England Under-20 defender Ronnie Edwards.
Mellish was not done there, completing a memorable treble in the 58th minute with another spectacular left-footed volley after the hosts failed to deal with a McGeouch cross.
Posh quickly hit back as captain Harrison Burrows slammed a 61st-minute shot through a crowd of players from the edge of the box but that was as good as it got as Darren Ferguson's men flopped.
Substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris fluffed a glorious chance to cut the arrears further, before also being denied by the bar late on as the Cumbrians stood firm.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Peterborough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 21Steer
- 2KatongoSubstituted forAjiboyeat 51'minutes
- 5Knight
- 4Edwards
- 3Burrows
- 8De HavillandSubstituted forClarke-Harrisat 52'minutes
- 27Collins
- 11PokuSubstituted forOlakigbeat 78'minutes
- 14RandallSubstituted forFernandezat 72'minutes
- 10Mason-Clark
- 18MothersilleSubstituted forJonesat 52'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Bilokapic
- 6Crichlow
- 9Clarke-Harris
- 15Olakigbe
- 16Ajiboye
- 17Jones
- 20Fernandez
Carlisle
Formation 4-5-1
- 40Lewis
- 18EllisBooked at 7minsSubstituted forEmmanuelat 78'minutes
- 5Lavelle
- 26Barclay
- 3Armer
- 11ButterworthSubstituted forMcCalmontat 66'minutes
- 21McGeouchSubstituted forKellyat 78'minutes
- 33Neal
- 22MellishBooked at 33mins
- 15ChartersSubstituted forGibsonat 23'minutes
- 35Armstrong
Substitutes
- 7Gibson
- 9Kelly
- 10McCalmont
- 13Breeze
- 27Diamond
- 32Emmanuel
- 34Grehan
- Referee:
- Will Finnie
- Attendance:
- 10,080
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home67%
- Away33%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Peterborough United 1, Carlisle United 3.
Post update
Corner, Peterborough United. Conceded by Jon Mellish.
Post update
Foul by Ricky-Jade Jones (Peterborough United).
Post update
Harrison Neal (Carlisle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Josh Knight (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Luke Armstrong (Carlisle United).
Post update
Attempt missed. Michael Olakigbe (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough United) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Ephron Mason-Clark with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Georgie Kelly (Carlisle United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Foul by Josh Knight (Peterborough United).
Post update
Jordan Gibson (Carlisle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Peterborough United. Conceded by Sam Lavelle.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Michael Olakigbe (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emmanuel Fernandez.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Josh Knight (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ricky-Jade Jones (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Harrison Burrows with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ephron Mason-Clark (Peterborough United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Josh Knight.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match (Peterborough United).
Substitution
Substitution, Peterborough United. Michael Olakigbe replaces Kwame Poku.
Comments
Join the conversation
Bet you messed up a few accumulators today !
Best for the remainder of the season and if you do drop, I’m sure you’ll bounce back up.
Your fans deserve better than Lg 2 football
Thanks again from a Pompey fan
Stick with Simmo and you'll be back for a second crack at this division (with investment & experience !).
Own the North!
You're welcome 😁
Methinks a few players have had more than half an eye on Wembley
And where is the Grizzle ?
PUP
Deserved far more than you got this season.
Up the O's