Saints kept up with the League One pacesetters as they edged a 1-0 win over ten man Carlisle at St Mary’s.

Nigel Adkins’ side really needed the three points with league leaders Brighton and second placed Bournemouth also winning.

After Gary Borrowdale had been sent off late in the first half Rickie Lambert grabbed the only goal of the game to make it 50 in Saints colours for the £1m striker, the fifth quickest post-war player to notch a half century of goals for the club.

It was hardly a thunderous Saints performance but they did enough to get the points on the board ahead of another two away games.

Despite only a handful of fans making their way down from Cumbria there was a bumper crowd at St Mary’s thanks to the game being linked to the Manchester United FA Cup tie.

Dan Harding had the first crack at goal after just two minutes but he leant back and fired it over the bar.

In general the opening stages of the game were fairly subdued.

Carlisle had plenty of men in midfield to outnumber Saints and were doing a good job of keeping things tight.

James Berrett bent in a curling left wing free kick on 12 minutes but it just went through without a touch.

Up the other end Rickie Lambert couldn’t quite reach a good cross to head it goalwards.

Saints were just struggling to get into the game and take it by the scruff of the neck as they can do.

Gary Borrowdale became the first man in the book on 20 minutes for a foul on Alex Chamberlain which meant the pacy young winger could really get at the full back for the rest of the game.

Lambert had another half chance a minute later as Harding’s cross found the Saints striker but he sliced his shot wide.

Saints were given a free kick just outside the area to the right of centre on 23 minutes which Lambert surprisingly left to Guly do Prado and the Brazilian put it wide.

Radhi Jaidi was forced to put the ball behind on the half hour mark as Carlisle made a rare foray forward with Berrett putting in the cross.

Kelvin Davis was called into action moments later with Berrett’s chipped corner headed goalwards at the far post by Lubomir Michalik for the Saints keeper to make the save.

Richard Chaplow became the first Saints player in the book for a foul.

Saints finally created a gilt edged opportunity on 36 minutes.

Dean Hammond burst forward, gave it to Do Prado who made it to the by-line and cut the ball back to Dany N’Guessan who had a great chance to score but blazed it over the bar.

However, the game was to change entirely in the space of just a couple of minutes.

Saints were given a major boost on 41 minutes when Borrowdale was sent off.

He fouled Chamberlain on the right but there was not a lot in it.

However, the referee produced a second yellow card, possibly for dissent as the foul seemed fairly innocuous, and Carlisle were down to ten for the rest of the match.

After Jose Fonte had put a header straight at the keeper Saints made their numerical advantage count before Carlisle had had a chance to reshuffle and took the lead.

Chamberlain got the ball in for Lambert who put in a superb header that this time gave the keeper little chance of keeping it out and it was 1-0.

Carlisle made a change just before the break with Matt Robson coming on for Rory Loy as the Cumbrians started to adjust to life with a man down.

But they faced a massive uphill challenge in the second period as Saints went in a goal up at half time.

Carlisle boss Greg Abbott was reportedly sent off at the break and made to watch the remainder of the game from the stands for remonstrating with the officials in the tunnel.

Saints made a change at the break with Adam Lallana returning to the team for Chaplow, possibly as the central midfielder had already been booked and with a Carlisle player already off they wanted to minimise the chances of the numbers being evened up.

The formation changed with Lambert pretty much playing alone up front and having the numbers to take control of midfield.

It didn’t stop Lambert getting a shot in on goal just two minutes after the restart but it took a deflection and was taken by Collin.

Hammond tried his luck with a long range drive but it was just over the bar.

Carlisle just gave Saints a gentle reminder they were still there when another Berrett corner found Michalik but again the Davis made the save.

Adkins was trying to get Saints to use their numerical advantage in midfield to get two players out wide and attempt to stretch the ten men and get Carlisle to commit men forward with just Lambert to mark.

Chamberlain forced Collin into a good save on 65 minutes after a good exchange with Lallana ended with the youngster firing in a strong shot.

Tom Taiwo went into the book for a foul on N’Guessan.

Carlisle made a second change with Liam Noble replaced by Nahki Wells.

Saints just needed another goal to kill the game off as Carlisle were still believing they might be able to get something as they had managed to keep the deficit down to one.

Saints made a switch to try and make that happen with Lee Barnard on for Lambert on 76 minutes.

Carlisle responded with Craig Curran coming on for Francois Zoko before Jonathan Forte made a home debut replacing N’Guessan.

Michalik and Do Prado both found themselves in the book as the game wore towards a finish.

When the fourth official held the board up it showed four minutes of stoppage time for Saints to see it out.

Carlisle gave Saints a late moment of worry as a deep free kick broke to the edge of the box but the Cumbrians’ shot was blocked and Saints took three points despite a subdued performance.