Harrogate Town AFC

Watch the Gaffer's pre Carlisle United interview here...



On the desire for clean sheets…

It's just a continual work in progress. We have to keep grafting and we've had injuries at the back haven't we. We want that stability and players playing together but we've just got to keep showing and keep training hard. Through experience, obviously, we'll look to mature players but we have to also at times help the back four and alleviate the pressure for them by making sure teams don't find it easy to run at us or advance up the pitch against us.

I think it was a good display actually away at Walsall last week. I know we conceded one from a free-kick later on, but that one really was a fantastic performance away at Leyton Orient. We denied them space right across the midfield and were really organised in the back four, who snuffed out any threats and we looked after the ball as well. You want the full package and we're aiming for that consistency week in, week out. That's why until you get to, it's a work in progress.

On facing Carlisle…

For us it's dust ourselves down from the disappointment on Saturday, but it does happen. We're three points off automatic spots, which is we're in a great spot. We have to be really positive and upbeat and go again with the aim of getting that clean sheet. But also we have to be aware of the strengths of Carlisle. I thought they played really well up until the sending off, especially at Exeter which is a hard place to go.

We know that they're up for it, have got a new manager and there are new impressions being set so we have to do our jobs. They're a hard working 4-4-2 at the minute and they've got some legs and energy in there. They've narrowed up quickly across the middle and back four with willing runners up front, so it will be a hard fought win if we're able to achieve it.

On our focus going into the fixture…

Well again, how good are we at bouncing back? We've done it at Walsall and there's room for teams to keep progressing and end up where you want to progress to in the season if you're really good at being resilient and have the ability to bounce back. So hopefully and we've got a good set up to enhance our chances of being good at that. But we'll keep being positive.

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