United had scored with their first attack when the lightning quick Johann Smith was needlessly fouled by Stephen Purches in the box. Danny Graham, on-loan from Middlesbrough, stepped up to send keeper Neil Moss the wrong way for his sixth Carlisle goal.
The Cherries' David McGoldrick then went close with a neat hooked volley before Carlisle full-back David Raven was booked for a wild lunge. Centre-back Danny Livesey doubled the home side's lead after 29 minutes, heading in unmarked from Jeff Smith's perfect free-kick delivery. Peter Murphy almost made it three with a rasping drive that flew just past Moss' post, as Carlisle dominated.
A double substitution at half-time by Bournemouth brought them back into the game, but it was the Cumbrians, with Joe Garner and Graham lively, who always posed more of a threat. Bournemouth sub Brett Pitman stung Keiren Westwood's hand with a fierce shot, but Carlisle didn't heed the warning and the visitors snatched a goal back on the hour.
Pitman again fired in a low shot, but Westwood couldn't hold it and Welsh Under-21 international Vokes rammed the ball in from six yards. Having looked unbeatable, the home side began making simple mistakes, with McGoldrick twice failing to capitalise on good openings.
But, with five minutes left, the Bournemouth fightback was killed off when Graham, perhaps offside, picked up Garner's pass on the right wing. Graham squared the ball for McDermott, who held off a defender and calmly lifted the ball over Moss to settle the Cumbrians' nerves.