Paul Simpson is backing his Carlisle United players to handle growing expectation as they target the top three today.
The Blues head to Rochdale knowing a win, and a Northampton Town slip-up at Barrow, will take them into the automatic promotion places.
Carlisle’s impressive form has put them firmly in the race for League One.
And Simpson says his players must remain on the same path as hopes grow of a successful run-in.
“They have to handle it the same way they’ve done the first 26 games,” said the manager.
“They don’t seem to be having it weighing too heavy on them at the moment.
“At the moment, we’re the ones chasing the pack above us – I’m not really thinking about the ones below us who are chasing us, I’m just thinking about chasing what’s above us.
“If the opportunity comes to go into those top three places, that’s when it becomes a bit different, when we become chased.
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“But I hope the players are able to deal with it. For me, I think you have to thrive on that challenge – you’ve got to go and grab hold and make the most of it.
“We’re all in football to be successful, we all want to win games of football, we want to achieve promotions, get medals for it.
“And then obviously as a footballer you get the financial rewards that go with that.
“Whatever rocks your boat you have to go and grab those opportunities when you can.”
United today take on a Dale side (Crown Oil Arena, 3pm) who are propping up the EFL.
They will do so backed by another bumper four-figure travelling support.
Simpson could again name an unchanged side after the home victories over Newport County and Hartlepool United.
He said being so close to the top three is a major carrot for his side as they face Jim Bentley’s strugglers.
“It is a huge incentive,” he said.
“If we do our job properly we’ll have a chance of going into the automatic places. If we don’t, it’s irrelevant what happens anywhere else.
“If we can do it right, who knows what might happen? If we can get a victory, we know we’ll still only be at worse one point behind [Northampton] and that’s still a good position to be in.
“If we want to achieve anything we have to keep our form going.”
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