Carlisle threw away a two-goal lead at Exeter only for substitute Richard Offiong to come off the bench and give the Cumbrians a last-gasp victory.
Carlisle went ahead when Joe Anyinsah headed home Kevan Hurst's cross, then Anyinsah's tap in made it 2-0.
With 11 minutes left Exeter pulled one back as Adam Stansfield fired in from 18 yards, before Ryan Harley grabbed a 90th-minute leveller from close range.
But Offiong netted the winner seconds later after Madine hit the post.
Carlisle United manager Greg Abbott told BBC Radio Cumbria:
"We've come to a very, very difficult place and we've got three points," he said.
"Although we conceded the second we found a bit of character to win the game 3-2.
"To be fair it couldn't have gone to a better person than Richard, he's needed that one and he was johnny-on-the-spot on the back of Gary Madine's terrific effort which hits the inside of the post."
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"I think the times of the goals says it all. We think we've taken a point from a poor night and I'm at a loss to know what we were thinking at that point.
"I'm personally thinking there's a couple of minutes of injury time left, if we are positive here we could win this and well quite the opposite. I don't know what we've thought but it's just not good enough.
"It was a poor night, and it took us until we were 2-0 down to have the confidence to play."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Exeter
2-3
Carlisle
FT
(HT 0-2)
Stansfield 79
Harley 90
Anyinsah 33
Anyinsah 44
Offiong 90+1
Exeter
27 Jones
02 Tully
03 Duffy
06 Taylor
11 Golbourne
04 Russell
07 Harley
14 Cozic (Corr 46)
22 Sercombe
09 Stansfield
16 Stewart (Logan 46)
Substitutes
01 Marriott,
26 Bennett,
29 Archibald-Henville,
18 Saunders,
12 Corr,
20 Logan,
39 Berry
Carlisle
01 Collin
03 Horwood
05 Livesey
14 Harte
21 Keogh yellow card
07 Anyinsah
08 Kavanagh (Madine 82)
10 Robson
11 Thirlwell
24 Hurst (Offiong 77)
25 Clayton
Substitutes
40 Pidgeley,
06 Murphy,
23 Kane,
04 Bridge-Wilkinson,
12 Taiwo,
17 Offiong,
28 Madine
Ref: LangfordAtt: 4,106
EXETER
CARLISLE
Possession
Exeter49%
Carlisle51%
Attempts on target
Exeter4
Carlisle5
Attempts off target
Exeter6
Carlisle3
Corners
Exeter6
Carlisle4
Fouls
Exeter10
Carlisle7
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:09 The referee blows for the end of the match.
90:00+0:16 GOAL - Richard Offiong:Exeter 2 - 3 Carlisle Richard Offiong finds the net with a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 2-3 Carlisle.
89:07 GOAL - Ryan Harley:Exeter 2 - 2 Carlisle Goal scored by Ryan Harley from deep inside the penalty area to the top right corner of the goal. Exeter 2-2 Carlisle.
85:13 Richard Offiong gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Alex Russell. Richard Duffy restarts play with the free kick.
83:40 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley from the left by-line.
82:56 Foul by Evan Horwood on Liam Sercombe, free kick awarded. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Ryan Harley from right wing.
81:32 Substitution Gary Madine is brought on as a substitute for Graham Kavanagh.
79:12 Richard Offiong concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Golbourne. Direct free kick taken by Richard Duffy.
78:08 GOAL - Adam Stansfield:Exeter 1 - 2 Carlisle Adam Stansfield gets on the score sheet with a goal from just inside the penalty area to the top right corner of the goal. Exeter 1-2 Carlisle.
76:33 Substitution Kevan Hurst leaves the field to be replaced by Richard Offiong.
75:50 Free kick awarded for a foul by Richard Logan on Evan Horwood. Free kick taken by Adam Collin.
73:05 Richard Duffy challenges Joe Anyinsah unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adam Collin takes the direct free kick.
72:12 Ryan Harley takes a outswinging corner to the near post, Graham Kavanagh manages to make a clearance.
70:58 Barry Corr takes a shot. Adam Collin makes a save.
67:57 Outswinging corner taken by Ryan Harley, clearance made by Danny Livesey.
67:40 Matthew Taylor fouled by Graham Kavanagh, the ref awards a free kick. Paul Jones takes the direct free kick.
64:12 The assistant referee signals for offside against Graham Kavanagh. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
61:37 Ryan Harley takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Graham Kavanagh.
59:11 Headed effort from inside the area by Barry Corr misses to the right of the goal.
53:48 Ryan Harley takes the inswinging corner, Adam Stansfield has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.
53:26 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley, Ian Harte manages to make a clearance.
51:50 Liam Sercombe takes a shot. Save by Adam Collin.
48:46 Effort from the edge of the area by Matthew Robson goes wide of the right-hand upright.
48:07 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Matthew Taylor by Joe Anyinsah. Matthew Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
47:38 Headed effort from close range by Joe Anyinsah goes wide left of the target.
47:07 Corner taken by Graham Kavanagh from the left by-line played to the near post, Steve Tully manages to make a clearance.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
45:01 Substitution Richard Logan on for Marcus Stewart.
45:01 Substitution Bertrand Cozic goes off and Barry Corr comes on.
Half Time
45:00+1:05 The half-time whistle blows.
43:17 The assist for the goal came from Danny Livesey.
43:17 GOAL - Joe Anyinsah:Exeter 0 - 2 Carlisle Joe Anyinsah gets on the score sheet with a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 0-2 Carlisle.
42:38 Richard Duffy gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joe Anyinsah. Graham Kavanagh restarts play with the free kick.
39:57 Foul by Adam Stansfield on Paul Thirlwell, free kick awarded. Ian Harte takes the free kick.
38:59 Marcus Stewart concedes a free kick for a foul on Kevan Hurst. Direct free kick taken by Adam Collin.
37:46 Liam Sercombe has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses left.
34:46 Ryan Harley concedes a free kick for a foul on Joe Anyinsah. Matthew Robson crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing.
32:49 Assist by Richard Keogh.
32:49 GOAL - Joe Anyinsah:Exeter 0 - 1 Carlisle Joe Anyinsah scores a headed goal from close range. Exeter 0-1 Carlisle.
31:59 The assistant referee flags for offside against Marcus Stewart. Adam Collin takes the free kick.
30:22 Effort on goal by Ryan Harley from outside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.
27:29 Marcus Stewart has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.
26:36 Graham Kavanagh takes a shot. Save by Paul Jones.
Correction - 25:09 Corner taken right-footed by Graham Kavanagh, Joe Anyinsah takes a shot. Matthew Taylor manages to make a clearance.
25:09 Corner from left by-line taken by Graham Kavanagh.
23:38 Scott Golbourne gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kevan Hurst. Richard Keogh restarts play with the free kick.
17:41 Unfair challenge on Joe Anyinsah by Steve Tully results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Adam Collin.
15:59 Adam Stansfield takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the bar.
15:28 Kevan Hurst gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Scott Golbourne. Direct free kick taken by Richard Duffy.
8:53 Foul by Marcus Stewart on Ian Harte, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Paul Thirlwell.
6:30 Booking Booking for Richard Keogh for unsporting behaviour.
5:52 Richard Keogh gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Paul Jones. Direct free kick taken by Paul Jones.
4:48 Corner taken by Graham Kavanagh from the left by-line, Richard Keogh takes a shot.
3:47 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Danny Livesey by Adam Stansfield. Free kick taken by Adam Collin.
3:07 Graham Kavanagh is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.
1:59 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Graham Kavanagh from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Richard Duffy.
1:06 The official flags Marcus Stewart offside. Adam Collin takes the indirect free kick.
0:00 The game gets underway.
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