Chris Beech insists 17th-placed Carlisle United are "very close to being very good" as they prepare to face League Two leaders Forest Green. 

The Blues host Rob Edwards’ table-toppers at Brunton Park tomorrow.

The game will see United aiming to bounce back from last weekend’s dismal 4-0 defeat at Sutton – while their visitors are hoping to consolidate a four-point lead at the summit.

Beech has spoken of the challenge of facing the high-flying visitors - and his belief in the quality of his own side.

“It’s one everybody should thrive on because they’re the team currently setting the standards in our league,” Beech said of the clash with the leaders.

“You have to match that if you want to be where they are and if you want to get a result against them.”

Carlisle’s display in south London last weekend brought heavy criticism and an apology from Beech and players to fans, as the team fell to their worst league loss for seven years.

The Blues will be under scrutiny from fans to produce a much better showing this time around.

Edwards’ side have taken 20 points from their first nine games as they set the early pace in the fourth tier.

Beech does not expect the Nailsworth outfit to be vastly different in style last season, when they beat Carlisle twice under Mark Cooper and went on to lose out in the play-off semi-finals under Jimmy Ball.

“I suppose the signing of a physical striker [Jamille Matt] gives them that mix, but he was already there,” Beech said.

“It’s just a case of them getting in that rhythm.

“The season’s obviously gone very well for them, on and off the pitch for different reasons. We’re really looking forward to playing them.”

Despite last weekend’s woes and form that leaves them in the bottom half of League Two, United are unbeaten in their last 11 home games in all competitions, although many of those fixtures have been draws.

Beech said: “You’re actually better losing and winning than going on unbeaten runs [like that], in terms of the longer term – as long as you don’t lose too much.

“But we know that we’re very, very close to being very good. We have been against some great opponents already this season.

“People often forget, but you’ve got to grow again when there’s turnover of player, and difference within that.

“You can quite easily look at last year’s fixtures against Forest Green and the personnel playing within them, but it’s also great we’ve got a core from last season.

“We’re at a point where we need to step forward, of course we are, but it’s going to be interesting, and definitely challenging.

“There’s a lot of energy and intent from conversations. But we know conversations are conversations. Physically we’ve got to do what we did on Tuesday [against Everton U21s] more often and keep the standards high.”