Mike Williamson says he is “already convinced” that Carlisle United’s players can make the improvements needed despite recent results.

The head coach, whose team head to Colchester United this weekend, has seen the Blues suffer back-to-back home defeats in recent days.

Losses to Grimsby Town and Notts County followed an away win at Swindon Town in the new boss’s opening game.

It has left Carlisle still struggling in third bottom position in League Two with a total of seven defeats from nine league games.

While Williamson is hoping to bring about long-term improvement at Carlisle, he says he has seen enough in the players to be confident that short-term gains can also come.

“Yes, I'm already convinced,” he told the News & Star.

“I don't need any more convincing – I've been working with these boys for a very short time, but what I've seen is a lot of quality and a lot of heart, a lot of personality.

“The fans are brilliant, and you hear them, and they got behind the boys in the second half on Tuesday night.

“It's been a difficult year or so for the club, and it's going to take time to change things], and to change the belief and the mentality, but we know we'll do that, and we know that the lads are working relentlessly.

“We just have to make sure that we channel that second half [against Notts County], that fight and that determination, and we come out on Saturday and we face everything again with a mentality that it doesn't matter what happens, we're going to be on that front foot and as aggressive as we were [on Tuesday].”

It's a trip to Colchester next for Williamson's UnitedIt's a trip to Colchester next for Williamson's United (Image: Ben Holmes)

Carlisle’s display in midweek was a performance of two halves, the Cumbrians struggling in the first half and picked off by two Notts goals, before applying heavy pressure after the break to no avail.

Williamson acknowledges that bringing the positive aspects to the table on a more consistent, game-long basis has to be the aim.

“That is the challenge,” he added. “And the only way we can do it is by coming in, watching it back, speaking to the lads, getting their feedback, but really channeling it into just being present in every moment.

“A game of football is a very emotional sport, but we've got to take the emotion out of it and make sure that every moment we're playing, we're playing that moment, whether we're 2-0 up or 2-0 down at home or away.

“We're going to face consistent actions that are the same, time and time again. The best in the world will consistently keep their habits the same when things are going against them or for them, and that's what we've got to get to.

“We've just got to stay so present in whatever it is – defending a throw-in, a free-kick, attacking a throw-in...it's an opportunity to get the upper hand on your opponent and stack the odds in your favour with all these little bits of detail.

“Then, overall, you enter their box more than you have to defend your own, and the quality we've got will break through.

“But we've just got to keep that focus and keep that hard work and turn that second half into a platform and make sure that we build on it Saturday.”