Carlisle United manager Keith Millen is not concerned about Hartlepool’s position in the league ahead of Tuesday’s game at Brunton Park.
Pool are only three places and two points better off than the Blues from the same number of games. So a win would take them above the North East side.
He said: “They’re another team near us but I don’t think it really matters. It doesn’t bother me who we’re playing as far as where they are in the league.
“Bradford played really well, and I think they’re a big, strong club with a good team, and we were by far the better side against them.
“It doesn’t worry me where they are in the league, every team has its strengths and weaknesses, and we’ve just got to make sure we are at our best.”
Carlisle scrambled a last gasp draw at home to Crawley on Saturday and he will be making a late assessment on any changes for the Hartlepool game.
“If you lose a game it knocks you a bit, but the fact we came away with a draw, meant there was a feel-good factor at training.
“From there we have to focus. I’ll have a look at who we think should play, and I’ve got a few options on the bench, which is good,” he said.
Youngsters’ game time
Meanwhile, Millen is looking to give more game time to his younger players by sending them out on loan.
Millen hopes that there will be opportunities for younger members of his squad who have found themselves on the fringes.
One who has had a few first-team minutes this season is Taylor Charters, the 20-year-old midfielder from West Cumbria. He has gone to Gateshead for initially a month and he made an eye-catching debut in a 2-0 win at Hereford.
Charters comes from a sporting family as his grandfather Barry was a good local league player and his dad Ryan was a top rugby league forward.
It’s likely that other young men at Brunton Park who might follow Charters out on loan include striker Sam Fishburn, winger Lewis Bell, goalkeeper Gabe Breeze and midfielder Josh Dixon.
On Charters’ move to Gateshead, Millen told the club website: “I’m really pleased with that one because it’s a good standard. Taylor’s doing well, hopefully, he can go there and be one of the best players, and develop by playing every week.
“It’s for a month to start with, and then we’ll judge it after that. He was desperate just to play games, hopefully it’s a good move for him.
“As I said the other day, we’ll definitely look to get some of the other young players out as well.
“The younger players need to go out and play men’s football. We’re going to try and do some more business in that respect this week.”
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