Before Carlisle United host Tamworth at Brunton Park on Saturday, we spoke to Blues' Head Coach Mark Hughes.
Speaking to CUTV, he discussed the younger players flourishing in his squad, the influence of previous promotion winners and the Tamworth test.
Here is everything we learnt:
1. LATE KICK-OFFS PROVING TESTING
“At times it seems a little bit unfair, but you take it as a compliment that they feel a lot of people want to see us.
“It’s long treks and difficult games and then long journeys back at ungodly hours.”
2. MACADAM IS ONLY SCRATCHING THE SURFACE
“He’s got more to come, we feel.
“If we can get him in good areas, then he can add goals to his ability and his attributes.”
3. YOUNG ENERGY IS DRIVING THE TEAM FORWARD
“We’ve got good energy in the team, and that lends itself from good young players being in the side.
“They’re trying to get better every single day.”
4. CONFIDENCE COMES FROM TAKING CHANCES
“Winning does that.
“When you get opportunities, you’ve got to take the chance when it presents itself.”
5. EXPERIENCE COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
“We’ve got a number of guys that have been involved with play-offs and important games at the back end of seasons.
“That mixture of youth and experience can take you a long way.”
6. TAMWORTH WILL TEST PATIENCE AND DISCIPLINE
“They’ve got a set way of playing, and they’re very proficient at it.
“We’ve just got to show patience and hopefully get the opportunities we can convert.”
7. LONG THROWS HOLD NO FEAR
“We face it every week if we’re honest, so we’re well versed.
“I don’t think we’ve conceded too many from those situations.”
8. SQUAD DEPTH IS PROVING VITAL
“We recovered well enough.
“Everybody’s playing a part at the moment, and I’ve been really pleased with the impact of the guys coming on late in games.”
9. INJURED PLAYERS ARE MOVING CLOSER
“Bevis (Mugabi) and Embo (Elliot Embleton) were part-trained today, and they’re looking stronger every day.
“We want to make sure they’re sound when they come back.”
10. HOME FORM REMAINS A KEY WEAPON
“Home form is going to be really important for us.”
“Every game seems to be very important, and we can’t afford to slip up.”
Watch the full interview on CUTV HERE!