This will be our first meeting with Carlisle this season so lets get started on the right footing with a win.

Although we didn't realise it when we played them for the first time last season it would lead to Carlisle becoming our bogie team.

The first defeat against them in September was our first home defeat for 18 months and then a few months later we lost at home to them again when we crashed out of the FA Cup with one of our worst displays ever.

We reclaimed a bit of self respect three days after that when we beat them in the LDV Trophy, although it took an extra time Golden Goal by Tony Bird to achieve it.

It was back to our losing ways though when we eventually paid our first visit to Brunton Park, Carlisle, and went down 2-0 within the first 15 minutes.
After that setback we started to put our game together but could not get past their on loan keeper, Matt Glennon, now of Hull City.

If Colin Larkin is fit for tomorrow we should be in with a chance of coming back home with at least a point.

If he isn't?

The latest news on Larks, after being hit by a train against Doncaster in midweek, looks promising.
The bruised knee and deadleg he got, after the collision with their keeper, is responding well to treatment.

The only other injuries from midweek were Scott Stamps (neck) and Adie Smith (groin), these have cleared up and so they should be available.

Stuart Brock serves the last day of his suspension and temporary cover, Eric Nixon, will again take his place.

Jan thinks that some poor club may be in line for a thrashing after our recent good run, but he doesn't think it will be Carlisle;
"You always hope the next match could be the big win. But we're well aware Saturday is tough as Carlisle are already fighting for their lives.

However, if we get beaten, we will be in the same boat.

We've managed to finally get some confidence away from home with our run of two wins and a draw. There has got to be a real belief that we can win.

The clean sheets always give you a chance and we've had seven so far in 15 games.

What we have to do is create chances and I feel Larkin has a bigger impact for us away from home."

He thinks that if we played as we did in the second period of Tuesdays game then we could be in with a chance. Jan changed to a 4-3-3 formation then and hopes to try using Larkin, Drewe Broughton and Ian Foster the same way again;
"If they are clever enough, that system has a chance and Foster and Larkin are clever enough. They do not mind coming into wide positions.

Last season when we played the formation, the forwards probably got in each other's way a little bit. But the key here is their pace."

Harriers (from):
Nixon, Murphy, Joy, Stamps, Medou-Otye, Clarkson, Sall, Hinton, Smith, Blake, Williams, Shail, Bird, Davies, Bennett, Shilton, Doyle, Foster, Hadley, Broughton, Larkin, Ducros, Corbett.

Carlisle sit firmly on the bottom of the league again, as they seem to do most seasons.

This is no place for a club with such a fine history and support.

Lets hope they get things sorted out soon, but not too soon.

New manager, Roddy Collins, has tried to change things about a bit since he arrived during pre season. One of his first moves was to sell Scott Dobie to WBA for £100,000, although he was probably given away rather than sold.

With the money available he bought in Irish striker Richie Foran who seems to be an able replacement in the goal scoring stakes.

One striker on his way out of Brunton Park is Ian Stevens who scored twice against us last season. He's out of favour with Collins and could be sold to struggling Conference side Stalybridge soon.

Others out of favour are Austin Berkley, Maurice Harkin, Stuart Elliott, Lee Maddison and Paul Antony.

Maddison has been linked with Colchester Utd in the past week but has now decide to stay and fight for his place.

In their last home game Carlisle beat highly fancied Bristol Rovers 1-0, that was only their second home win of the season. The first one came against York City in mid September.

According to Alastair Woodcock of the independent Carlisle website cufc online there shouldn't be any injuries for tomorrows game;
"We will be missing Lee Andrews and Tony Hopper who sit out the final game of their 3-match suspensions. No other obvious injuries as far as I'm aware.

Mick Galloway could start the game after missing nearly six months with a knee problem. Otherwise he should at least be on the bench.

Richie Foran collected a knock against Port Vale in midweek but he seemed to run it off and he should be alright."

Carlisle (from): Keen, Birch, McAughtrie, Winstanley, Whitehead, Rogers, Murphy, McGill, Morley, Soley, Jack, Halliday, Foran, Skinner, Galloway, Hore, Nicholson, Allan, Thwaites, Haddow, Dickinson.