Paul Simpson says he issued a “strong message” to his Carlisle United squad in the wake of their Mansfield mauling.

And the Blues boss has called on his senior players to help them through their first shaky spell of the season.

Carlisle host Colchester United tomorrow hoping to end a three-game winless and goalless run.

Simpson says that, as part of preparations, some home truths were laid out about Tuesday’s 4-0 home defeat to Mansfield Town.

The manager said: “I was quite strong with my messages that I gave to them [on Thursday] morning, and the video content that we showed them.

“It was quite strong and I told them that it wasn't going to be pleasant viewing but they needed to see it.

“We can actually see which players have gone and watched the game themselves through the platforms that we use. The majority of the players had been and looked at it already.

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“And then my message was very clear to them.

“Training's been fine. I don't see anybody with his chin on the floor. They're all ready to go again and then it's up to us to pick the right side and hopefully they go out and perform.”

Simpson has called for level heads and no panic following Tuesday’s heavy home defeat.

And he is banking on a closely-knit squad to find a way back to form quickly, with United still third in League Two.

“What I've said to the senior players is that we need them,” he added. “We need them to step up now.

“We will do our stuff as a staff but the players are the ones who are in the changing room all the time together. And if you see anybody with an issue you've got to nip it in the bud, you've got to deal with it.

“I think as a manager you are only as good as the changing room. If it's a good, tight-knit group and they’re trying to go about it properly, you've got a real good chance of doing well.

“And I think that's what we've got here. So it's no different this week or last week. It's been the same all the time.

“That's the demands that we put on players to make sure that they do drive the standards and keep it right. And thankfully that's what they've done over the over the whole of the season and I want to keep it going now.”

Simpson said the immediate aftermath of the Mansfield game saw the right attitude from his players.

“On Tuesday night, I said what I needed to say then left the room, and I'm told that the conversation was, 'Right, we need to sort ourselves out and get back to it, and we've only got ourselves to blame. We need to start again'.

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“So that's the message that's coming from the players. And this is the first opportunity against Colchester.

“We know they're good side, they're a good group that they've assembled now and we know that we're going to have to be on our game because, if we're not, then we'll have another disappointing result and we've got to accept what goes with that.

“But the only thing on our mind is to keep ourselves right, get ourselves into a good mental state and physical state and be ready to go and have a right good go.”