Losing any player is a blow but the absence of a man performing at the top of his game, despite the pain of a toe injury, is a savage one for the league leaders.
If we cope as well as we did on Saturday then we should negotiate their final three games against Wheatley Hills, Cleckheaton and Northern successfully.
Andrew Davies, back from suspension, took the metaphorical skipper's armband at Warwick Road. It has to be said Chocky did a top drawer job and can be proud of a 100 per cent captaincy record.
Despite the appearance of the scoreline, this was not as easy as it looked. Carlisle played with a lot of spirit and briefly led in the first half and twice were level.
However, West's power and class told in the end and could have left Cumbria with an even bigger winning margin.
The numbers that matter are the five points from a six-try win and the total of 100 in the far right column of the league table.
Two wins from here will do it and that's assuming Percy Park collect maximum points from the last two Saturdays.
We made a rapid start at Warwick Road, Andrew Foreman's tap and go on 10 minutes from the 22 putting Dan Boatman in for the first try.
Gareth Foreman added the conversion. The touch judges did not seem convinced (or Carlisle's supporters) but referee Brian Mitchelhill stuck his hand up and awarded it.
Jon Boatman's exit on a stretcher was a sad sight and came not long after Carlisle lost one of their star men, centre Chris Harris, with a similar problem.
Boatman's injury seemed to affect West, who fell behind when scrum-half Joe Blaylock was allowed to seemingly run forever to score a try from a scrum on the middle of the 22.
Grant Connon put over a good conversion to go with a straight-forward penalty minutes before and Carlisle led 10-7.
West were soon back on terms.
Stuart Waites, on the wing for Adam Larkin, kicked a penalty from in front of the sticks but was not given the opportunity to go for goal from WEst's next award.
It was certainly kickable, but instead the away side ran it and with the last play of the half, man of the moment Gareth Foreman scored from close range after Stephen Stockdale was stopped short at the clubhouse end.
Carlisle started the second half with purpose.
They were aided by the fact that Gavin Robinson was in the sinbin and they took advantage with a try by Martin Brodie. They stretched the West defence first to the left and then the right before Brodie outpaced Stockdale, who had found himself guarding the wing.
That made it 15-15 but West's pack went back downfield and made two tries from catch and drives on 45 and 50 minutes.
Andrew Foreman scored the first and Tom Dixon the second and with Waites converting the former, West were 27-15 up.
West almost got a fifth but Colin Cheslin was brought down short of the line after good work by centres Luke Watson and Roboinson.
Colin Cheslin was also robbed of a try in the 58th minute when the referee ruled him offside from Andrew Cheslin's chip, much to the chagrin of the West players and fans.
Carlisle then enjoyed a good spell and at times had the West defence blowing hard, but the away side held out.
West were aided by a strike against the head by Andrew Dixon after Carlisle had opted for a five-metre scrum instead of a kickable penalty.
The West pack played well all afternoon and they got their side going forward again in the later stages.
And there was a try in each corner before the end.
Six minutes from time Colin Cheslin got over down the left to complete a superb away attack and in injury time Waites piut his foot on the gas to go clear from 40 metres down the right.
West almost got another in further added time and, fittingly, ended a good afternoon's work on the home line.
CARLISLE: M Connon, Brodie, Harris (Little 7),
Bell, Earl, G Connon, Blaylock, Stamper, Graham, McGimpsey, Halliday, Faulder,
Sherlock, Allan, Ritchie.
Tries: Blaylock, Brodie.
Con: G Connon.
Pen: G Connon
Sin-bin: None
WEST: C Cheslin, Waites, Watson, G Robinson, A Cheslin (Thomas 77), G Foreman, A Foreman, Norris, A Dixon, Coates, Davies, T Dixon, D Boatman, J Boatman (Rudd 29, Hodgson 74), Stockdale
Tries: D Boatman, G Foreman, A Foreman, T Dixon, C Cheslin, Waites
Cons: G Foreman (1), Waites (2)
Pen: Waites
Sin-bin: G Robinson, A Foreman
Referee: Brian Mitchelhill (Cumbria)
Tries: Blaylock, Brodie.
Con: G Connon.
Pen: G Connon
Sin-bin: None
WEST: C Cheslin, Waites, Watson, G Robinson, A Cheslin (Thomas 77), G Foreman, A Foreman, Norris, A Dixon, Coates, Davies, T Dixon, D Boatman, J Boatman (Rudd 29, Hodgson 74), Stockdale
Tries: D Boatman, G Foreman, A Foreman, T Dixon, C Cheslin, Waites
Cons: G Foreman (1), Waites (2)
Pen: Waites
Sin-bin: G Robinson, A Foreman
Referee: Brian Mitchelhill (Cumbria)