Two debut goals from Mark Robins after a Graeme Lee header on the stroke of half-time sent Wednesday cruising through to the Northern semi-finals of the LDV Vans Trophy.
Robins, signed from Rotherham on Monday, struck twice in the space of six minutes as Wednesday underlined the gulf between second division and third division strugglers.
And afterwards Wednesday's assistant manager Colin West said: "We hope they're the first goals of many from Mark.
"He's only been with us a couple of days and he needs more games but you can see the quality he has got and it means more competition for places.
"We hope tonight's a turning point of our season." Robins revealed: "It seams to be a bit of a habit for me - I scored two on my debut for Rotherham and two when I made my debut for Norwich and I'm absolutely delighted.
"I haven't played for over a month and I just need to get my match legs." Carlisle matched the visitors for most of the first half but came within a whisker of going behind in the 11th minute when dangerman Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu fired in a fierce 25-yard shot that smacked back off the foot of the post.
At the other end Richie Foran's cross needed just a touch from stretching Kevin Henderson as it flew across Wednesday's six-yard line.
Craig Russell brought a diving save from Kevin Pressman with an edge of the area drive.
But Carlisle had a scare of their own making in the 17th minute when keeper Matt Glennon let a harmless Lee Andrews back pass run under his foot and the ball scraped the outside of the post with the embarrassed keeper chasing it.
Former Carlisle trialist Grant Holt brought a fine save from Glennon with a first-time effort and Laurie Wilson hit a 25-yard drive over the angle of post and bar.
He then delivered a 45th minute corner that Lee met 12 yards out with a powerful header that Glennon palmed away but the ball had clearly crossed the line.
A curling Lee free-kick brought a diving save from Glennon after 65 minutes before Holt fired wide with the goal at his mercy as Wednesday started to take control.
After 77 minutes a slick one-two produced their second. Robins played the ball out to Holt and sprinted into the six-yard box for the return, scoring with a stooping five-yard header.
The stocky striker struck again as Wednesday prised Carlisle's defence apart, stroking home Michael Reddy's cross to put the game out of the hosts' reach.