Simpson calls for more Carlisle United resilience v Salford City

This weekend’s huge fifth-v-sixth clash at Brunton Park gives Carlisle the chance to cement a play-off place at least.

But to do so they must overcome visitors who have made a habit of scoring late goals recently.

Salford struck a 97th-minute winner at Walsall last weekend to keep their own promotion hopes alive, having also won at AFC Wimbledon recently with two stoppage-time strikes.

The Ammies are three points behind Carlisle, and Simpson said: “They’ve got a good team, good individuals and a set style they play which is very effective.

“They’ve shown they go through to the 95th, 97th, 98th minute and we know we have to be on our game. We know we’ve got to be right.

• Listen: Paul Simpson talks to News & Star ahead of Blues' huge Salford clash

“Last week [at Barrow], when there were five minutes added in in the first half and five at the end, we showed a real desire to keep the ball out of the net which earned us our 20th clean sheet.

“There is a resilience about us, a good fitness level about the players, a real togetherness about them, and we have to show it in game number 45.

“We’ve done it ok for 44, now it’s the next one that really matters.”

A win for Carlisle can deny Salford any chance of catching the Blues in the promotion race.

A draw would also make a top-seven finish likely for Simpson’s side given their goal difference is superior by six.

United, though, need to win in order to keep any automatic hopes alive in the event of Northampton and/or Stevenage slipping up.

Paul Simpson (Image: Richard Parkes)

And Simpson said victory is the only thing on his mind this weekend.

“We’re going for a win. I don’t think English teams are very good at doing what Italian teams used to do – shut up shop and go for a 0-0 draw,” he said.

“For me, our best way to go and be effective is to go and be front-foot, positive and get at teams. Go and try and win the ball back early.

“That is what we’re going to do against Salford. We won’t be sitting off, and hopefully we’re able to go and apply that properly.”

Neil Wood’s side are the division’s top scorers with 69 goals, though their record of 51 conceded is the highest in the top seven by a considerable margin.

They have taken more points on the road this season – 37 – than at home (35).

Carlisle enjoyed a memorable 4-1 win over Salford at the Peninsula Stadium in November but Simpson insisted: “I don’t think that result will have any reflection on the game on Saturday.

“They’ve slightly tweaked their style of play. They still want to try and play out from the back and build through the thirds, but they’re also willing to go direct up to the big target man [Matt] Smith at the moment.

Big striker Matt Smith is a key player for Salford (Image: PA)

“I think in the first half at Salford we had a tough time and struggled at times, but in the second half we did really well and maybe could have won even more convincingly.

“It’s going to be a tough game. But it’s a game we’re all looking forward to.

“Yes, there’s all sorts of permutations. We know if we do our job properly against Salford, we’re guaranteed a play-off place. If we don’t do our job properly, we don’t deserve that guarantee.

“Our focus is on getting a victory and once we’ve done that, we’ll look at the other results and see where we are.”

• Carlisle United boss gives team news update for Salford showdown

United go into the game unbeaten in five in League Two and having lost two in their last 13.

Whilst the chance of a top three place is now out of their hands, Simpson says their resolve has allowed them to stay in the race.

"We’ve ground out some 0-0 draws that people grumbled about and thought they were bad results. But they weren’t," he said.

"I thought Bradford away and Stevenage at home weren’t bad results. There’s other games we can look back over and be kicking ourselves we didn’t do properly.

"I’m quite sure Richie Wellens won’t be, and Jon Brady won’t be doing it much and Steve Evans won’t be doing it much, but everybody else below the top three will be – Stockport will be kicking themselves that they had a slow start, Salford had a dodgy patch in the middle, Mansfield have had a dip...we’re all in the same position where we can kick ourselves about things we haven’t gone about it right.

"But after 44 games we’re sat in a really good position and we have an opportunity to finish it off well."

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