The Blues earned an impressive 1-0 win in the first round at Brunton Park thanks to David Ajiboye’s goal and Archie Mair’s penalty save.

A fifth straight win sent the Cumbrians into Monday night’s second round draw as they maintained their recent fine form against Peter Cklamovski’s fourth-tier high fliers.

Head coach Elliot was delighted with how his National League side overcame Salford and said: “It was an incredible day for the club and a great achievement from the players.

“I thought the atmosphere at the end was exactly what we wanted it to be all the time, but we get that because of the endeavour, the work and the shift we put in.

“I thought in the first half we were excellent, we deserved to be ahead, but we needed Archie's penalty save. I'm not sure what happened with the penalty [decision], but for whatever reason we needed Archie to get us out of that.

“We got the goal and from [minutes] 50 to 70 we had to really suffer, but we suffered well, we suffered together. We made blocks, we protected the goal, we protected the areas we needed to.

“What's been a real common theme is the substitutes then came on and made a huge difference. We stepped on them again and we were brave and we were aggressive.”

David Ajiboye turns away after deflecting Carlisle's goal (Image: Ben Holmes)

After Mair, on only his third outing of the season, kept out Ryan Graydon’s penalty, Carlisle went in front when David Ajiboye deflected in Stephen Wearne’s shot near the end of the first half.

The Blues then showed impressive resolve to fend off Salford after the break.

“They [Salford] are a top team, top squad,” said Elliot. “They made changes, but they're not making changes to get weaker. If you look at the team they put on at the end, they've got stronger and we've got stronger as well. That was what was pleasing.

“We've gone toe-to-toe with the best team and squad in League Two. They will get promoted, they will win that league. I said to the boys in pre-season, they're going to win the league, they're going to win it comfortably.

“It was a great challenge for us. Getting them in the cup, we needed to prove how we had grown and developed.

“When you have that understanding of what winning a game of football takes, that will to put everything into it and how much it means, it shows the lads are in a good space.”

Archie Mair played a major part in United's victory with a penalty save (Image: Ben Holmes)

Elliot was full of praise for goalkeeper Mair, whose impressive penalty record at previous clubs went on to benefit the Blues as he guessed correctly to deny Grayson.

“Archie's got a fantastic mentality and he'll back himself,” said Elliot, who watched the game from the stand as he served the first game of a two-match touchline ban.

“He's a really good match goalkeeper, Archie, and his training is getting better and better

“ I was really pleased for him because he does a lot of work behind the scenes in how he trains and how he’s a great lad about the place.

“Sometimes people don't see that, how important he is to the group. I'm so pleased he got the rewards and he fully deserved it.

“It’s a huge credit to Archie for his mentality. We had a good chat at the start of the season about training levels and the demands he puts on himself. It means the harder he works in the training, when he gets his opportunities, he'll be ready to take them.

Elliot had words of praise for goalkeeping coach Jack Cudworth (Image: Ben Holmes)

“[Coach] Jack Cudworth does so much work with the goalkeepers, and the goalkeeping department has been superb this year.”

Elliot was glad that Carlisle managed to earn the luck that came with Ajiboye’s deflected winner.

“We've had two occasions earlier in the season where shots have hit David [and not gone in], and it's not his fault. One hit him in the face right in front of the goal and the other one hit his legs,” the Blues boss said.

“So I think we deserve that luck and sometimes that's why you have to stay consistent.

“When things aren't going well, you stay consistent, you work hard. You adapt to what you need to, but you stay in what you believe in and you get that little bit of luck.

“The energy the game took and the way the lads ran was superb, and each and every one of them were brilliant.

“It’s another good day for the club in terms of getting through to the second round and finishing off what's been a very good month or so.”

United will learn their second round opponents on Monday evening and Elliot hopes Carlisle can secure another big tie.

“I just want a great day for the club,” he said.

“Whoever we play, wherever it is, we're going to want to be in that third round because we know what is at stake there. You do potentially get the big draws and play against the Premier League clubs.

The Paddock celebrate United's win (Image: Ben Holmes)

“But you've got to win the next game [first]. I would love a big club at home or away for the fans, and for the players and for the staff to go and enjoy themselves.

“As a reflection of the work we've put in, I want people to be able to go and enjoy this work because it's not easy.

“It's tough for the staff who work for the football club. And when things don't go well, everyone takes it to heart.

“We’ve got through that together with the fans. You look at how fantastic they've been in the last couple of games and we need to make sure that, one, we keep that going, but two, hopefully we can just enjoy these moments to make the most of it.

“You never know what's around the corner, and we’ve got to enjoy games like this. If we do that, and keep united, then hopefully there's more nights like this to come.”