Ahead of Carlisle United's trip to Boson United in the 5:30pm kick off on Saturday evening we spoke to Blues' Head Coach Mark Hughes.
Speaking to CUTV, he discussed the nine-game unbeaten run, United's threat in attacking transitions and another Saturday evening fixture.
Here is everuthing we learnt:
1. Confidence Intact after Eastleigh draw
“We knew we played well, and although we didn’t get the result the performance deserved, there’s been no dip in confidence at all.
“There’s been no change in how we’ll approach the next game, so it really hasn’t had any impact.”
2. Momentum Is Driving Belief
“That just illustrates the point that confidence-wise, we're in a good place and we're playing well.
“So the more momentum we have, the more consistency in terms of our performance and the level we hit, then the more confidence we'll have to be able to win games, so we've got to keep it going really.”
3. No Records on his mind
“I don’t look at records or unbeaten runs at all; you guys do that and make me aware of them afterwards.
“For us, it really is the cliché of taking every game as it comes and focusing only on the next one.”
4. Hitting Our Level Will Be Enough
“Boston will have learned from the FA Cup game and changed a little since then, but nothing too radical from what we’ve seen.
“If we maintain our level of performance again, then even if they improve, I still think we’ll have enough.”
5. Boston Won’t Fold Easily
“They showed after half-time in the FA Cup that they’ve got real character because they could easily have thought it wasn’t their day.
“They came back quickly, but thankfully we re-established control and took the game away from them.”
6. Transition Threat Could Decide the Game
“Being the away side means the onus is on them to come out and have a go, and that can actually help us.
“We’ve got real threats on the break, and transition is one of our biggest strengths at the moment.”
7. Cold Weather Hasn’t Disrupted Training
“We were a little concerned coming into today because of the cold, but the covers were on and the groundsman worked hard on the pitch.
“With the sun helping as well, we weren’t compromised at all, and we’ll make sure the same is done again tomorrow.”
8. Bevis Mugabi Still Weeks Away
“Bevis isn’t with the group at the moment, and although a few players are back out training on the grass, they’re still two or three weeks away, and he’s part of that group that needs a bit more time.”
9. TV Picks Are a Sign of Respect
“A 5.30 kick-off isn’t ideal because everything is built around a 3pm Saturday game for us, but TV has its say and there’s clearly a lot of interest in what we’re doing, so we take being picked so often as a real compliment.”
10. Players Prepare Differently on Long Matchdays
“You just move everything forward a couple of hours, and it actually gives some lads a chance of a longer lie-in if they want it, while others like to get up, walk around and see the daylight, but the structure of the build-up stays pretty much the same.”
11. FA Trophy Opponents Will Get Full Respect
“Harborough Town are going well at the top of their league, and we’ll give them the respect they deserve when the time comes, and although their ground is quite tight, it’ll make for a really good atmosphere and a game we’ll look forward to.”
12. Minutes for Sam Hetherington in the Cumberland Cup
“It was a good chance for Sam to get minutes because, although he’s been training and around the group, he hasn’t started many games.
“And with another bounce game next week, it’ll help him and the other lads who haven’t had much game time recently stay sharp.”
Watch the full interview on CUTV HERE!
