Notts County 1 Carlisle United 0: Alassana Jatta's first-half header denied Carlisle the chance to reduce their gap to survival at Meadow Lane.

Notts' top scorer finished a George Abbott cross in the 19th minute.

And United failed to find a way back, despite strong spells of pressure and Joe Hugill hitting the post.

The Cumbrians remain five points adrift of safety with 19 games to go in League Two, while Mike Williamson lost Aaron Hayden to injury before half-time in the midweek game.

Jatta's goal came in the hosts' most dangerous spell while Gabe Breeze saved superbly to deny David McGoldrick another.

Hugill had United's best chances, hitting the woodwork early in the second half, while Sam Lavelle's challenge denied Jatta a County clincher in front of 455 travelling fans in an 8,521 crowd, the home side moving up to second in the table as United remained second bottom.

Williamson made three changes from the XI that started Saturday's win at Fleetwood Town, with Hayden, Elliot Embleton and Sean Fusire all coming into the side, the latter for his full debut.

Paul Dummett was out of the squad after his weekend hamstring injury, while Kadeem Harris and Will Patching dropped to the bench, with Stephen Wearne still missing after illness.

Hosts Notts made one change as Nick Tsaroulla replaced Sam Austin in their XI, which included the former United defender Rod McDonald.

United were looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since March 2023 as they tried further to reduce their five-point gap to survival.

Carlisle made a solid start and Hugill had an early opportunity but the angle to the left of goal was too tight for his shot to worry keeper Alex Bass.

Notts then threatened when Tsaroulla combined with Conor Grant, but he shot high over the bar from 20 yards.

United almost found a way through on 12 minutes when Hugill sped onto Charlie McArthur's through ball, but Bass was out of his box to block the shot.

Carlisle played their way into trouble when Grant intercepted a pass from the back and Jatta's shot was deflected just wide.

But United could not contain Jatta three minutes later, the striker finding space to head home Abbott's cross after he and Jodi Jones had outmanoeuvered Carlisle on the right.

Gabe Breeze questions the Blues defence after Jatta's 19th-minute goal (Image: Richard Parkes)

The home side threatened further and Hayden had to be sharp to prevent McGoldrick going past him in the box.

Then, after Cedwyn Scott had sent a shot airborne for United, Breeze pulled off a superb save to deny McGoldrick after Carlisle had been pulled apart.

United were finding it hard to live with Notts' attacking movement, and were unable to make the most of their own counter-attacks, Hugill shooting straight at Bass with half an hour gone.

Tsaroulla then fired across the face of goal as the home side continued to punch holes in United's defensive line, and a ricochet almost handed County a bonus second.

Carlisle struggled to put together convincing attacks themselves though Hugill had a counter-attacking chance late in the half as United cleared, but as he tried to round Matty Platt, he shot across goal and wide.

Breeze superbly denies McGoldrick (Image: Richard Parkes)

The hosts' next attack ended painfully for Hayden, as McArthur slid in to challenge Jatta in the box. Hayden was hurt as the challenges came in and after several minutes of treatment had to be replaced by Terell Thomas in first-half added time.

Early in the second half Jatta was millimetres from reaching a Jones cross, before Carlisle upped their game and came agonisingly close to a leveller.

After winning the ball in the County half, Hugill received it in the box but saw his shot come back off the inside of the post.

Joe Hugill's shot hits the post (Image: Richard Parkes)

Ref Abigail Byrne was coming in for criticism from both sides, the official denying County a penalty when Tsaroulla went down against Josh Williams.

Carlisle kept pushing with Callum Whelan's shot then kept out by Bass, who went on to save at Hugill's feet again.

Scott was then hurt and had to go off, Fusire also replaced as Harris and Patching came on for United.

And United then had Lavelle to thank for keeping them in it, the captain making a crucial sliding interception as Abbott and McGoldrick combined and Jatta looking set to finish before the Blues defender got in the way.

Notts made a triple change on 72 minutes, before Breeze showed good handling to prevent home sub Kellan Gordon's cross reaching Jatta.

And McGoldrick then failed to pick out Jatta after getting away from United on the left.

Carlisle kept looking for an opening, applying constant pressure in the closing stages, and they almost grabbed a leveller in the fourth added minute but Jones' shot from the left flew wide as United were denied.

Notts County: Bass, McDonald (Johnson 72), Platt, Bedeau, Hinchy, Tsaroulla, Grant (Edwards 72), Abbott, Jones (Gordon 72), McGoldrick, Jatta (Jarvis 90). Not used: Slocombe, Whitaker, Cundy.

Goal: Jatta 19.

Booked: McDonald, McGoldrick.

United: Breeze, Hayden (Thomas 45), Lavelle, McArthur, Williams, Jones, Fusire (Patching 62), Whelan, Embleton (Robson 81), Scott (Harris 62), Hugill. Not used: Lewis, Harper, Ellis.

Booked: Fusire, McArthur.

Ref: Abigail Byrne.

Crowd: 8,521 (455 United fans).