Mani Dieseruvwe’s brace, one in either half, was enough to secure three points against Mark Hughes’ men.
Jimmy McNulty made two changes from the side that started in the win over Solihull Moors during the week. Kevin Berkoe replaced Tarryn Allarakhia on the left, with Dieseruvwe returning from suspension in place of Levi Amantchi up top.
The Dale number nine made an instant impact on his return, netting his eighth of the season inside six minutes.
It came at the end of a fine Dale move, which led to Sam Beckwith getting to the byline and sending the ball across, where Dieseruvwe met it at the near post. He looked to have squeezed the ball over the line, although Tobi Adebayo-Rowling made sure by smashing home from a yard out.
There was some confusion as it appeared the referee had ruled the goal out, but after a brief moment, it was clear the assistant referee had flagged for the goal when Dieseruvwe turned goalwards.
The goal was a sign of things to come for McNulty’s men as they dominated first-half proceedings.
Connor McBride hit the woodwork after turning nicely in the area, seeing his left-footed curling effort come back off the foot of the far post.
Devante Rodney hit a shot wide from the edge of the area before racing on goal minutes later, but he lost his balance as he went to strike after jinking past his defender.
At the other end, Dale were rarely troubled, with Oliver Whatmuff comfortably holding Regan Linney’s long-range efforts.
McBride then had two big chances of his own to double the lead but couldn’t beat Gabe Breeze in the Carlisle net.
He then steered a side-footed shot over, as did Dieseruvwe after being found by Kyron Gordon from the byline.
The home side’s best chance of the opening period came right on the stroke of half-time, but Cameron Harper couldn’t steer home a cross from the right.
The opening ten minutes of the second period were a quiet affair, but in the 56th minute, Dale doubled their lead.
Rodney found space on the halfway line and drove forward before releasing a perfectly weighted pass for Dieseruvwe, who clinically finished into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Dale continued to look dangerous going forward as Gordon fizzed a ball across the Carlisle area that was eventually cleared away.
The hosts began to see more of the ball in the closing stages, but Dale were comfortable in restricting their opponents to efforts from range or balls lumped into the area.
Linney looked the most dangerous, but Whatmuff was equal to anything thrown at him, making a big save late on from substitute Junior Luamba to preserve Dale’s clean sheet.
The win moves McNulty’s men back to the top of the National League table, albeit temporarily with Forest Green Rovers playing in the late fixture.
Carlisle United XI | Breeze, Harper, Thomas ©, Feeney, Whelan (60’ Davies), Linney, Gilliead, Williams (46’ Luamba), Mugabi (60’ Kelly), Armstrong (60’ Wearne), Macadam (46’ Ellis).
Unused subs | Lewis, Grant.
Dale XI | Whatmuff, Gordon, East, Ebanks-Landell ©, Gilmour, Diesuervwe (86’ Amantchi), Rodney (78’ Barlow), Adebayo-Rowling (74’ Moss), McBride (86’ Pettit), Berkoe (78’ Allarakhia), Beckwith.
Unused subs | Burger, Humbles.
Scorers | 6’ 56’ Dieseruvwe.
Attendance | 8,014 (720 away).
