On a dreadful day weather-wise in Bristol, the Cumbrians started brightly and after a good early spell of pressure should have taken the lead. Vincent Pericard wasting a good opportunity as, one-on-one with Mikkel Andersen, he allowed the goalkeeper to tip his tame effort over the top. Andersen then forced into making another save shortly afterwards when he blocked Joe Anyinsah's low drive with his feet.
Carlisle did take the lead on 21 minutes though when Graham Kavanagh curled a corner in and Ian Harte was able to volley home from close range. As the visitors began to sit back a little however Rovers equalised 14 minutes later when Kuffour turned well past Harte and then shot into the corner of Lenny Pidgeley's net from 12 yards out.
That goal seemed to pep the Pirates up and they had the better of the remaining stages of the half, although Pericard did hammer a shot just wide inbetween the two best chances for the home side. Dominic Blizzard having an effort well blocked by Anyinsah before on the brink of the whistle, Pidgeley made an excellent diving save from a Danny Coles header.
For Carlisle, Kavanagh fired a couple of shots from distance wide of the target before it was soon Rovers pressing again. Hughes and Kuffour combining to carve out a chance for Chris Dickson but the Charlton-loanee was only able to sky his effort well over the top. Dickson's radar not functioning a few minutes later either as he smacked a drive from the edge of the box well wide.
It was 2-1 to the visitors on 72 minutes though when a Kavanagh free-kick in was only cleared straight to Matty Robson, the diminutive left-winger then clipping a cross in to the back-post which Keogh headed firmly into the net from six yards out. Carlisle boss Greg Abbott then making a substitution three minutes later which seemed to put his side on the back-foot as the strong Pericard was replaced on his own upfront by Scott Dobie.
Rovers then levelling matters once more in the match with eight minutes to go when Hughes unleashed an excellent left-footed strike from just outside the box which fairly flew across goal and into the top corner of Pidgeley's net. The visitors then missing a great chance to take the lead for a third time in the 88th minute when substitute Hurst was unable to apply the finishing touch to a Harte cross in.
And that missed opportunity would cost United heavily as in the fourth minute of injury time the Pirates plundered the winning goal. Lines, from a Stuart Campbell corner, somehow finding room on the six-yard line to bundle a shot home to end a run of six consecutive defeats for Rovers and signal a long journey back up the motorway for Carlisle.