Keith Curle said his tactical plan that earned Carlisle United a crucial victory at Cheltenham was like winning a game of poker.

The Blues manager's second-half substitutions and system change turned the tide in the 1-0 win against the Robins.

Ashley Nadesan and Hallam Hope came off the bench to earn the penalty that saw Jamie Devitt cut the gap to the play-offs to four points.

Curle said it had always been his intention to play some of his cards later in the Good Friday game.

"Sometimes football can be a game of poker. Sometimes you don't show your hand straight away," the manager said.

"I thought, at first, we needed a platform and a foothold.

"The games I've seen Cheltenham play, they can pop it and move, have good rotation and good ball-winners, flood the areas and are able to move the ball very quickly.

"My thinking was to give us a platform to build off, play the two physical lads [Richie Bennett and Cole Stockton] to compete with their centre-backs, knowing we had the likes of Hallam, Ashley, Kris Twardek, John O'Sullivan and Danny Grainger to come on and change the game as and when needed.

"We looked a threat when we introduced pace into our team but the important thing was we had a foothold in the game from the start."

United's win has set up a big Brunton Park Easter Monday showdown with Lincoln - who are currently in the final play-off position.

Curle said his decision to alter his starting line-up, recalling Stockton, James Brown and Tom Parkes, also including Gary Liddle in a midfield "diamond", was designed to give United a foundation in the game.

"If we thought we could just roll up and play an open, expansive game and try and catch them, it might have given us a little bit of a problem," he said.

"I know a lot of people would have had their opinion when they saw the teamsheet. I'm prepared to take criticism and face questions, but I do the job to the best of my ability on the knowledge I have, and make decisions I think are right for the team.

"It's not easy, but you have to come up with a plan, which I think is massive."

Curle said right-back Brown's recall for his first outing since February 13 was designed to counter the threat of Cheltenham winger Jerell Sellers.

He also said he brought Parkes back in for Grainger at left-back for his extra height to combat some of the hosts' set-piece strength.

United's defenders, including veteran Clint Hill, silenced 22-goal Mohamed Eisa and Curle added: "Clint, Mark Ellis, Tom Parkes and James Brown showed that unity.

"I said that the game in front of them was going to be frantic, with balls popping around, and they needed to be disciplined and keep their shape.

"When they [Cheltenham] did get through our midfield they came up against an organised, robust defence with good distances and good anticipation, that nullified the threats they had."

Curle said matchwinner Devitt came off in the closing stages with "a bit of fatigue", while he is nursing an injury problem. "He's been struggling and suffering with a little bit of a niggle that we've been able to mask and cover up."

Curle hopes the Irish midfielder will be fit for Monday's game, while he said Jamal Campbell-Ryce, not involved again yesterday, would be available.

"He was touch and go for inclusion [yesterday]. I made the decision not to involve him in a seven-hour journey down.

"He has been training well, and it was an opportunity to get another two or three days' training into him."