Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver expects to encounter a Carlisle United side who are “well up for it” this weekend.

And the visiting manager has urged his team not to be the one that helps to kickstart the Blues’ struggling campaign.

Harrogate sit 14th as they prepare to take on a United side who have slid to the bottom of League Two.

Weaver, the longest-serving manager in the league after 15 years at the Sulphurites helm, says Mike Williamson’s Blues are to be taken seriously despite their lowly position.

“It will be [a difficult challenge],” said Weaver, whose assistant is the former Carlisle captain Paul Thirlwell.

“I like Mike. He’s had success at Gateshead, and then MK Dons, and he’ll be keen to get it going at Carlisle too.

“He’s had his success by playing really good football, and we don’t expect anything different.

“We know that Carlisle have got some powerful players in their squad, [and] a good squad to choose from, and we don’t want to be that team that gift-wraps a win and a big turnaround of fortunes for themselves.

Harrogate sit 14th after their first 11 gamesHarrogate sit 14th after their first 11 games (Image: PA)

“We expect them to be well up for it and a very determined bunch, but we’ve prepared well this week, everything’s been upbeat, and we want to get some momentum going by backing [the last results] up.”

Harrogate, who are unbeaten in six league meetings with Carlisle, won 1-0 against Newport County last time out, after a 0-0 draw at Swindon Town in their previous away game.

Weaver wants his side to show a consistent level of resolve however their Cumbrian opponents approach the game.

“We’ve watched all their [Carlisle’s] games, I don’t think he [Williamson] will change – his passion is to play football, three at the back, develop play through the thirds,” said Weaver in a club interview.

“Of course you never know for certain, they might mix it up a bit more, get it into the frontmen and get the atmosphere going in that way.

“But we have to be good enough to adapt and impose our way.

“We have to show consistency. That’s the key in League Two – back to back results and the league table looks better. It’s such a tight league – can we make that next step and get into the top half? That’s the carrot for us.

“It will be tough [defensively], whoever they play up front – they’ve got some good players there – and we have to stay focused.”