Looking ahead to Friday’s clash with Gateshead, we spoke to Head Coach Mark Hughes.
Speaking to CUTV, he reflected on the Blues' momentum, managing the squad through a busy schedule and the challenge of facing an in-form side at Brunton Park.
Here is everything we learnt:
1. Momentum to maintain
“We’ve got good momentum, and it’s important to carry that on into the weekend.
"It’s been a strong week in terms of putting points on the board, and we want more of the same.”
2. A busy turnaround
“We’re used to these quick turnarounds at this level, so preparation doesn’t really change.
"The lads have come back bright, and we’ll be ready to go again.”
3. Managing the squad carefully
“We’ve had to be mindful of the load on the players at this stage of the season.
"We’ve tried to take a bit of pressure off some of the key lads where possible.”
4. Team news latest
“We’re a little concerned with Luke (Armstrong) and Gilly (Alex Gilliead), so we’ll have to assess them.
"Luke is unlikely to be available this weekend, while Gilly, we’re hopeful, could still be involved.”
5. Respecting the opposition
“They’re (Gateshead) in good form and fighting for their lives, so it’ll be another difficult test.
"They’re a different team from the one we faced earlier in the season.”
6. A technical challenge
“They like to get the ball down, pass and move, and they’ve got good technical ability in their side, so it’ll be a different type of game for us.”
7. Patience will be key
“There’ll be moments where we have to stay patient out of possession and not panic if they enjoy spells on the ball.”
8. Home form confidence
“For the most part, we’re always on the front foot at home, so if we can perform like we have done in recent weeks, we’ll be fine.”
9. A strong target in sight
“If we can go from now until the end of the season without dropping points, that would be a good target for us.”
