Carlisle's players rose above the flooding crisis affecting the club to earn a 1-1 draw at Sky Bet League Two leaders Oxford.
The U's dropped to second place as a result.
Alex MacDonald fired Michael Appleton 's men in front on 34 minutes with a right-footed shot low into the far corner from 20 yards.
But the Cumbrians levelled through an own goal in first-half stoppage time when Joe Skarz's attempted clearance rebounded into the net off fellow defender Chey Dunley.
Carlisle showed plenty of attacking intent and were only denied by a brilliant double save from Benji Buchel in the 16th minute.
The Liechtenstein goalkeeper parried Charlie Wyke's powerful drive and then showed great reactions to save Jason Kennedy's follow-up shot.
Oxford were not at their best but in an astonishingly open game, chances kept coming in rapid succession at both ends.
Chris Maguire had a shot saved and Carlisle keeper Mark Gillespie pushed a 20-yard snapshot from Skarz around his near post.
Carlisle exerted strong pressure at the start of the second half with Sweeney having an effort cleared off the line by Callum O'Dowda and Buchel saving well from Jabo Ibehre.
But Oxford's Chris Maguire went closer than anyone with a super 25-yard free-kick that smashed against the bar, with Roofe also hitting the bar with a header in stoppage time.