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Manager seeks better displays

5/11/2003

IAIN Dowie is challenging his players to find a level of consistency.

The call comes after last weekend's stirring performance at league-leaders Plymouth was blighted by a drab display at Bury in the LDV Trophy.

Dowie said: "Both the result and the performance (at Bury) were disappointing in equal measure."

"The thing we have to do is keep the standards we set. I don't accept us switching from highs to lows - I'd rather we kept on a consistent progression."

Carlisle United, who are bottom of the Football League and have won just twice in all competitions this season, visit Boundary Park for the FA Cup First Round on Saturday.

Dowie said: "Carlisle will come to us with nothing to lose and they will have a go."

"We will have to impose our game upon them. It's a game we should win, of course, but there's always the possibility you will lose if you do things poorly in both boxes - like we did at Bury."

With no new loan signings expected before weekend - clubs are unlikely to want them cup-tied - Dowie's playing resources remain stretched to the limit.

Danny Hall is playing with a knee problem while hamstring victims Will Haining and Chris Killen (pictured) are both rated highly doubtful.

Stand-in skipper John Eyre is suspended after picking up five bookings.