Walsall came from behind to reach the third round of the Emirates FA Cup in dramatic style as Douglas James-Taylor came off the bench to score in stoppage time.
The visitors opened the scoring through Ryan Edmondson in the first half but the Saddlers fought hard and levelled late on through another substitute, Andy Williams before James-Taylor’s late winner.
Michael Flynn made one change to the team that beat Crawley Town last week as Liam Kinsella came in for Liam Bennett.
There was little goalmouth action in the opening exchanges despite the hosts seeing plenty of the ball.
Carlisle looked dangerous on the break and were almost in but for a brilliant interception on the stretch by Kinsella.
The visitors had the best chance of the first half through their top goalscorer Kristian Dennis who steered in a low shot that looked destined for the bottom corner but Owen Evans got down well to push it away.
Carlisle opened the scoring on 29 minutes when Jack Armer crossed for Ryan Edmondson who controlled it well before coolly finishing past Evans.
Walsall responded well to falling behind. Donervon Daniels made an excellent run into the box and his cross took a deflection and forced Tomas Holy to make a save before the ball broke loose in the six-yard box where Johnson tried to divert it goalwards but the Blues defended well and eventually got the ball clear after a bit of a goalmouth scramble.
The Saddlers went into the half time interval behind and Flynn made two changes at the break as he introduced Jack Earing and Taylor Allen in place of Brandon Comley and Jacob Maddox.
Allen made a bright start and tested Holy with a fierce strike that the Carlisle stopper pushed behind.
James-Taylor replaced Tom Knowles moments later as Flynn looked to get more firepower up front.
The Saddlers dominated the second half and put Carlisle under pressure.
Isaac Hutchinson came close to equalising when he arrowed in a low shot that rolled across the face of goal and crept just wide.
Walsall continued to press and their pressure finally paid when Carlisle goalkeeper Holy miss-controlled the ball and Williams stole it off him and rolled the ball into the empty net.
There was still time to win it as well when the fourth official announced six minutes of added time.
The Saddlers burst forward and Hutchinson slid the ball through to James-Taylor who struck it first time and lashed the ball into the back of the net to send the Saddlers into round three.
Evans; Knowles (James-Taylor 59’), White, Daniels, Monthé, Gordon (Cashman 76’), Kinsella (Williams 72’), Comley Allen 45’), Hutchinson, Maddox (Earing 45’); Johnson
Barrett (GK), Wilkinson, McEntee
Attendance: 3,499 (418 away)