Carlisle United boss on Crystal Palace loanee's first goal

The Crystal Palace loanee broke his duck in the 1-1 draw with his former club Lincoln City.

And United manager Simpson said Plange earned his reward following some frank words in recent weeks.

“I thought Luke played with real fire in his belly,” said Simpson after the game at Sincil Bank.

“He was disappointed to be left out last week – I had a quiet word with him because he probably didn’t react in the right way.

“But he has done today – he’s gone about his business really well.”

Plange turned home an Owen Moxon free-kick to claim his first goal in nine United appearances.

It was also the 20-year-old’s first goal in the EFL since April 2022 when he was on target for Derby County.

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An 18-game loan spell at yesterday’s opponents did not produce a goal but Plange was quickly on target against his old team-mates for the Blues.

“I said to him before the game, ‘You’ve got nothing to prove to anybody here, you just go and show yourself that you deserve to be playing’,” Simpson added.

“I thought he did that. He earned his goal by getting across the near post.

“He could quite easily have had it against Shrewsbury where he got across the first man and he’s poked it onto the post.

Plange is mobbed after scoring at Lincoln (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“Today he’s got the reward, from a set play, because he’s done the job that we asked him to.

“So hopefully he’ll settle into it because he is a goalscorer, he’s a really good finisher, with both feet as well.

“I’m hoping that gives him a bit of a springboard to move on now.”

Simpson added that he substituted Plange in the second half at a time he was at risk of being dismissed.

“I took him off because they were desperate to try and get him sent off,” said Simpson.

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“They [Lincoln] were appealing for everything, the referee had already given him a yellow card for something and nothing and was wanting to make quite a big issue out of it, which in fairness he did with quite a few of our players.”

United’s boss, meanwhile, was delighted with another impressive showing from Sean Maguire, who was outstanding in the first half.

“You can see he’s played at a higher level, he’s a really intelligent footballer,” said Simpson of the Republic of Ireland international.

“Even the intelligence to get across the defender [in the 44th minute] when it’s an absolute definite penalty.

“That’s just clever. Sean’s doing some good things at the moment.

“The big thing they both did well in the first half was that, even when balls were going up high, they were competing and not making it a free header for their centre-backs so we were able to get on second balls.”