Defender Morgan Feeney found himself on captain duties at Prenton Park on Saturday with a number of other changes made as manager Paul Simpson looked to freshen things up for what was always going to be a tough fixture.
“We had a really experienced side out and it was good to see Kelvin and Rod back,” he said. “I’m so pleased Kelvin hasn’t got an injury that made him need to be stretchered off.
“He was ok and we’re getting good options, and hopefully we can keep everybody fit. I made changes to the team because I felt it needed freshening up, I wanted to try and keep everybody involved in it as much as we possibly can.
“It might be a case of changing people next week as well to try and get a performance and result at home in front of what I hope will be a really good crowd.”
And looking to the bench, he commented: “There are different options amongst the substitutes as well.
“I threw Gime into it because he gives us something a little bit different, but it didn’t quite happen for him unfortunately. He didn’t quite get the rub of the green with his little tricks, but it’s really good to have him back.
“We’ve got Tobi who goes on there and works his socks off, and has this incredible knack of popping up in the right place when he comes on as a finisher, and he’s effective. There’s Tyrese, and Lewi was unfortunate to be left out of it because he hasn’t done anything wrong.
“I just needed a different balance on the bench. For a League Two club we’ve got a big group of players, and it’s up to us between now and the end of the season to get the results which gets us safety, and then maybe have a look at some of them and see what they’re like in first team football.”
“For all of them who aren’t playing regularly, it’s always difficult coming into a game when you’ve been out for a while,” he continued. “Ideally I didn’t want to have to change Jon Mellish from centre back, but I just wanted a bit more energy and front foot stuff in midfield.
“I thought him and Danny gave us that. It’s up to me with a bit of input from the other staff to pick the right team next week, whether it’s the same group or a few changes to it again, we’ll have to see how everybody is.
“They all want to play because everybody’s playing for contracts, I’m playing for a management career, everybody is. There’s so much to play for.
“Even if we were to get three points next weekend and we’re mathematically safe, I don’t know whether that’s possible, but if it says that, I don’t care.
“We’ve still got to go about it right and make people take notice. And if it’s not for Carlisle United - for me and everybody else, somebody else might take notice.
“So this week it’s a recovery week in the early part, but it’s work as well. It’s going to be a tough game next week, we need our fans behind us, to help us.
“I heard Jurgen Klopp doing a bit of a grandstand speech on the radio yesterday afternoon, saying bring your best voices, make a noise, if you can’t come give your ticket to somebody else. Let’s not give our tickets to somebody else, let’s just get as many people into Brunton Park as we possibly can.
“The players have responded to the supporters, and maybe the supporters are responding to the players - let’s have another go, let’s do everything we can to make it a right good place.”
