The old saying that there’s nothing new under the sun took a hit last weekend, as Carlisle United sweltered their way to a draw at Stevenage in temperatures above 30C.
“It’s the hottest game I’ve played in and the hottest game a lot of the lads say they’ve played in – hotter than Wembley, they all said,” Sam Lavelle says.
“That slowed the game down a bit, and it took an effect on certain players. The manager gave us the Monday off which was nice of him. After a lot of travelling, and the heat being a factor, it gave us an extra day to settle down.
“I drank loads more water than I normally do after a game, made sure to eat more too because you’re severely dehydrated on a day like that.”
The demands of the 2-2 draw at the Lamex Stadium came in a footballing sense too, Carlisle forced to battle their way back twice. That they did so meant another point onto their League One total at this feet-finding stage.
“It was more of a fight, a different type of point, but a point we were glad to take,” says Lavelle, who has been a regular at the back since his summer move from Charlton Athletic.
For United these are new steps into the third tier but Lavelle has League One experience from his time in south London. It is, all the same, a fresh start for the 26-year-old and one he is glad to be making, after a spell out of the regular front line in 2022/23.
The former Morecambe captain believes, at this stage of the season, both himself and Paul Simpson’s team are on the same page: with progress made, but much more to come.
Lavelle says: “I spoke to the gaffer last week and he agrees that I’ve made a decent start, I’d say.
“I’m still getting to my best. It could have gone a lot worse, it could have gone slightly better, but I think I’ve made a good start personally.
“I’ve not played consistent football since December last year. I’d definitely take this start that I’ve made. Now I’m ready to kick on to the next level.
“As a team I think we’re in the same boat. I think we’ve started alright, a few good performances, and I think now we need to kick on again and start the season properly.”
Blackpool-born Lavelle appreciated his opportunity at Charlton but is undeniably happy to be back at this end of the country with United.
“I prefer being back up north,” he smiles. “I said the opposite when I moved down to London – I was loving it down south and I’m glad I experienced that for a few years – but now I’m back up north, I’m loving it.
“I’d say the people are more down to earth at times. And the club’s welcomed me from the first day. I felt like I was wanted, which was a nice feeling after last season.
“The lads are great, the staff are great. A lot of the staff are from the area, which is a big thing, and everyone in Carlisle supports Carlisle.
“I’m really enjoying my time so far. It’s a great move for me, I’ve made a good start and need to kick on now to make it an even better start.”
Lavelle, under Simpson so far, has invariably figured on the right of a central defensive three, next to the big, veteran captain Paul Huntington and the free-running Jon Mellish. It is a unit of differing traits and levels of experience.
The new man is enjoying the challenge. “I’ve found it quite useful, really. I’ve sometimes played in the middle when I’ve played in the three, but I’m enjoying the right hand side.
“I get on the ball a bit more than I’ve been used to. It’s a different type of role to when it’s four at the back.
“I’m still quite young for a centre-half, I’m 26 – getting on a bit now, I know… – but I still want to learn and improve in different areas. It’s only going to help me in different areas. I’ve got a good relationship at the back with Hunts and Mellish.
“Hunts has had a brilliant career, he’s a leader, and Mells is just Mells really, he’s one of a kind! He’s a bit of a freak, in a good way. We need to keep working on partnerships all over the pitch and that’s going to help us as well.”
There has been change behind that group too, Tomas Holy replaced as No1 by Jokull Andresson, who was outstanding at Stevenage. The Iceland international’s style is to Lavelle’s liking.
“He talks a lot, and I’m a talker myself on the pitch,” he says. “When you’ve got someone barking orders behind you and constantly shouting whatever it may be, it does give you confidence.
“A few of the saves he made at Stevenage kept us in the game and technically won us a point in the end. I told him that on the pitch and I told him after – ‘you saved us today.’
“It does give you confidence, and we need that. You need your keeper to make some unbelievable saves in some games in this league.”
You also need the sort of backing United continue to receive from a galvanised fanbase. Lavelle has played at Brunton Park before with Morecambe, and in front of bigger crowds in his two years at Charlton, but this season feels particularly uplifting from a supporting point of view.
“It’s more of a positive feel,” he says, “and our home form is going to be key this year. No team will fancy coming to Carlisle, especially if our fans are on it like they have been so far, and if we’re playing decent football or our best football, I don’t think any team will live with us, even the top two or three teams.
“The fans have been great. Even the following away has been good, I’ve been very impressed with that. Fans can be very important for us – they’ve helped us so far and hopefully we can repay them soon with more wins.”
Lavelle feels United have so far only scratched the surface of what they can do in League One this season, and the fighting character they displayed at Stevenage is a trait they can use time and again.
“I think it showed that we can compete against the top teams,” he says. “If they [Stevenage] are top of the league there’s no reason why we couldn’t beat them on our day.
“I think we’re at 50-60 per cent as a team, if I’m honest. [But] there are good signs that we’re getting points against good teams, and it was the same against Wigan at home. They’re a top team but I think we battered them in the second half. All these little things are ticking boxes and they’re positives.
“The team morale’s good, the team spirit’s good. I think it can and will get better. I think it’s just confidence. We actually are a good team, we’ve got good players. I think [it comes down to] more belief in front of goal, more belief at the back, more belief before the game that we’re going to beat these top teams.
“There’s no reason why we can’t and we’re beginning to show that. Belief will start coming with the more results we pick up.”
Simpson was clear in his comments after the Stevenage game that United’s players need to believe more. Does that simply come on a gradual basis, through results?
“Hopefully it’s not too gradual, because we need to kick on now,” Lavelle says. “But I think it’s slowly coming through. We’re starting to believe, now that we’re picking up results.
“We got four points in the last week, and still can play a lot better. When we hit this form and get confident in front of goal as well, I think the belief will come and hopefully it will come sooner rather than later.”
Lincoln City form United’s next test in a division that offers no favours.
“There’s no easy games, simple as that,” says Lavelle. “A few of the lads have had a slight shock to the system with the pace of League One. A lot of people say it’s similar to League Two but it’s definitely a step up in fitness, pace, sharpness.
“You have to have those things on top of your game. Lincoln are an established team so we need to be up for the fight, and also believe.
“They’ll be slightly different to Stevenage, I think, they’ll do a bit of both – they’ll still do a bit of direct and a bit of passing…but in terms of experience, know-how in the league, they’ve been here for years.
“They’ll be a good side, they’ll have some good technical players in the forward areas, no different to the previous games in League One before Stevenage.
“It will be a good test for us. But a test that we need to believe that we can win. I honestly do believe we’re going to turn someone over 2-0 or 3-0 at the moment. Hopefully this is the weekend when that happens.”
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