Head coach Mike Williamson says “concentration” is key as Carlisle United seek a more sustained performance at AFC Wimbledon today.
The Blues boss admits his side have performed well for periods in games so far but not for long enough overall.
Getting a display of more lasting quality is the next step to helping United improve in League Two, Williamson says.
The Cumbrians hope that can be the case at the Cherry Reds Records Stadium this afternoon (kick-off 3pm) as United take on a Wimbledon side returning home after last month’s flooding.
On the need to be at their best for more than the recent half-game spells seen, Williamson told the News & Star: “It's going to take just concentration and the boys continually learning.
“We showed them against Colchester [last weekend’s 0-0 draw] the reasons why we were able to control the first half and then why we didn't in the second half.
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“It's just little habits and little traits.
“It's human nature when you're going against the momentum and the other team is in the ascendancy to want to get the ball away from your goal and not want to do that extra sprint to get back in to be an option.
“But then, from the back of that, we're running even more. It's just about trying to show the boys how we see it, how to improve – and they're taking it on and they're wanting to work hard.
“Over time it will come but we've got to make sure that our attention is fixed and we don't give [the opposition] a second. Any lapse in concentration we know we're going to get punished.
“It's about us, it's about our levels and maintaining the very highest ones.”
United have shown resilience in their two away games under Williamson so far, keeping clean sheets at Colchester and Swindon Town en route to four points.
They have been strong away than at home so far and the head coach says the resolve shown by his side on their two recent long away days is the benchmark.
“Yes, that's the foundation we've got to build on where, if we’re not free flowing and scoring, we're not conceding, we're not giving up territory and we're making it difficult,” he said.
“The boys have been brilliant away from home and we've got to build off that.
“But we've just got to make sure that we keep building and being able to dominate more periods of the game whilst still being diligent and very, very hard to beat.”
Today sees a second long trip in consecutive weekends, the Wimbledon trip being the third longest journey of the Blues’ league campaign having ticked off the fourth longest at Colchester.
It means supporters will have covered 1,274 miles for successive Saturday games – and, in terms of United’s away games so far in 2024/25, already a total of 3,218 miles.
Williamson was quick to salute the dedication of the Blue Army and added: “It’s huge. It's incredible.
“The commitment they give, the amount of miles they have to cover financially and the sacrifices they will have to make to do that, it's phenomenal.
“It just shows how big and good this club is and how much the supporters are of the club and how much they drive it.
“It's a phenomenally supported club. As I said when I came in, we've got to make sure that we give them something to get behind and create that noise and excitement. I'm sure that we will.”
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