Barrow AFC boss Pete Wild has highlighted Carlisle United’s midfield – and versatile Jon Mellish – as reasons why they are in the promotion race.
The Bluebirds manager has challenged his team to stand up to the test against Paul Simpson’s contenders, who he feels will be "desperate" for victory in south Cumbria.
Wild sees it as a chance for his ninth-placed team to prove they can mix it with some of the best in League Two.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s derby clash, Wild said of Carlisle: “They are well-coached, well organised…there is no coincidence that they are doing well.
“They are full of energy, full of tempo all across the pitch.
“I think [Owen] Moxon and [Callum] Guy have been two of the best central midfielders in the league this season, and then you have got young Mellish who just runs all over the place with loads of energy and quality.
“I think we know what to expect. We know as a team they are going to be desperate to come and beat us, we know they are going to come after us and we have to stand up to that challenge.
“We have to match them first and foremost, which we certainly can do physically, and then we have to make sure that we are not just trying to stop Carlisle, but we are taking our moments where we can impose ourselves on Carlisle and ensure we take our chances.
“If we play like we did at Swindon and Grimsby we will have a real chance of getting something out of the game.”
Barrow are clinging onto faint play-off hopes and need to beat Carlisle to stand any chance of remaining in the race.
The Bluebirds are, though, in good home form, unbeaten in six at the So Legal Stadium.
While they were thrashed 5-1 at Brunton Park in the league in January, they have beaten Carlisle at home this season in last October’s Papa John’s Trophy game, when the south Cumbrians prevailed 2-0.
Wild, whose squad includes ex-Blues men Paul Farman, Patrick Brough and Tom White, has challenged his team to finish a largely positive season on a good note.
“We want to try and ensure that we give the best account of ourselves possible to ensure that we do the best for us and that we are a better version of ourselves in these games,” he added, speaking to our sister paper The Mail.
“I think because Carlisle have had such a good season and certainly look like they are going to be in and around the playoff mix, we want to challenge ourselves against the best teams to see if we can ‘live it’ with the best teams in the league.
“I said to the players at quarter to ten on Tuesday night [after the 1-0 defeat at Grimsby Town], just finish what you started.
“Don’t let this fantastic season fizzle put into nothing now. Let’s make sure that we do the job properly and we behave like the professionals that we are.
“It is another game; it is a game that we want to win, and we want to ensure that we finish in the best place we can finish.”
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