Curle determined to stay in play-off picture

Posted Sunday, March 25, 2018 by PA

Carlisle manager Keith Curle was in no mood to give up on his side’s play-off hopes despite a second successive home draw.

Richie Bennett gave the Cumbrians the lead but George Maris earned Cambridge a 1-1 draw.

The result left Carlisle six points outside the play-off places in 10th but Curle said: “We will give it everything we have got.

“There is an attitude that the harder you work the luckier you get, and there is a good work ethic in the changing room.

“A seven-game undefeated run shows the backbone in the squad. I want to win every game until the end of the season.

“If there’s a stumble and a fall in results (elsewhere) then we will be knocking on the door.”

The Carlisle manager felt his side showed “complete dominance” without being able to clinch the victory.

“Balls were bouncing about in the box and their keeper made good saves,” he said.

“A few times we could have done with a bit more quality but the players are here to be successful and they give everything.”

Curle felt it was a game when United could have done with the likes of long-term injury absentees Jason Kennedy and Nicky Adams but praised Bennett, after a slow start to the ex-Barrow striker’s Carlisle career.

“We have eight players away from the squad which is a big miss, but it shows the club has a depth of character,” said Curle.

“(Bennett) is learning on the job. It’s been a massive step up in his career and he is adjusting. He has a willingness to go in where it hurts.”

Cambridge interim head coach Joe Dunne was happy with the outcome and said: “You come here, you can’t open up the pitch, you leave yourself three or four down.

“I thought at 0-0 it was important as it was a bit of a stalemate in the first half.

“When the goal went in, we could have easily caved in but once again we have shown the spirit that’s needed as a group to get right back into the game, then George scored and then I thought we really took control of the game.

“We had our chances and the home crowd got a bit edgy, but we dropped off a bit towards the end.

“David (Forde) made some good saves today but that isn’t the story of the game and we are pleased with a point.

“We need to continue the run we are on and hopefully turn those draws into wins.”