Keith Curle said there is much more to come from Sam Cosgrove after the young striker's heroics against Crewe.

The Carlisle United boss saw 21-year-old Cosgrove score his first senior goal to clinch the Blues' 1-0 win.

And Curle said the former Wigan man will get more chances to impress - as long as he continues to listen and learn.

The United manager said: "I thought, to begin with [on Saturday], Sam got caught up in some of the razzmatazz that's been going on, the headlines he's been making, the attention and focus.

"I don’t think he started very well. In the first half he tried to look a player rather than be a player.

"He didn’t do the basics very well and got told that. In the second half he took it on board and got his rewards.

"The penny will continue to drop. He's a young man, and part of my job is to say, 'this is your job. Go and make your headlines, and we'll back you up. The moment you stop doing your job to the level that's expected, we'll tell you'.

"He's taken criticism well. He doesn't like it, like most players don't, but he's in an environment where if you don't do your job well you'll get told, whether that's 39-year-old Clint Hill or 21-year-old Sam Cosgrove.

"His goal rounds off a perfect couple of weeks for the lad. He looked like a centre-forward and I still think there's more to come from him."

Cosgrove's first home league start saw 13th-placed United trim the gap to the play-off places to seven points.

The victory also gave them a boost ahead of Tuesday night's big FA Cup third round replay at Sheffield Wednesday.

Curle conceded their second-half improvement against David Artell's side on Saturday followed a very poor first half display.

The manager said he issued some home truths during half-time, when he also made a double substitution, bringing on fit-again Luke Joyce and John O'Sullivan.

In Joyce's case it brought up a major milestone with his 450th career appearance.

Curle said: "I nearly made a substitution after about 35 minutes. A word in my ear from my coaches said, 'leave it 'til half time'.

"I was raging. Half-time was 15 minutes to get into the players' heads, upset a few people and point out a few things to certain individuals.

"I had to go to work at half time. There was a lack of urgency and sloppiness in our decision-making. In the second half we played more direct, landed on more second balls and got on the front foot quicker.

"Good teams, when things aren't going your way, are able to turn it round without conceding goals. The defence and [keeper] Jack Bonham made sure we had a platform."

Curle, meanwhile, says he is continuing to talk to clubs and agents regarding potential January signings having been "priced out" for one of his two current targets.

The manager also did not rule out a return for Liverpool's Shamal George despite the keeper, whose half-season loan expired on January 1, using his social media accounts to say "thank you for everything" to Carlisle.

United held a minute's applause before Saturday's game in tribute to former Blues defender Mike McCartney, who died recently aged 63.