Sheridan wants Carlisle to push on after impressive win at Crawley

Posted Sunday, December 23, 2018 by PA

John Sheridan believes his Carlisle side are going into the busy festive period with increased confidence following a 3-2 victory at Crawley and wants to use it as a springboard for success this season.

The Cumbrians followed up their 4-0 home success over Colchester with another win to stand three points away from a play-off position.

Carlisle fell behind to an early goal from Dominic Poleon before a Jerry Yates goal and a penalty from Danny Grainger put them ahead.

Poleon levelled things up before the interval but midfielder Jack Sowerby clinched victory with a well-placed shot which went in off the post eleven minutes after the break.

Sheridan has challenged his men to step it up in the second half of the season and said: “I don`t want to finish twelfth, I want to achieve something. This is a great opportunity to get something more.

“The last two results have been brilliant and I`m chuffed to bits to get them.”

Sheridan felt Carlisle came strongly into the game after a poor start.

The 54-year-old added:” We started very poorly and their first goal was very poor from our point of view.

“But I am always confident we`ll get goals and we controlled the second half for most of it.

“There is a long way to go and Christmas is a massive period.”

Crawley have now lost six of their last seven league games and head coach Gabriele Cioffi revealed that poor refereeing decisions against them will be leading to them making a complaint to the Football Association.

Italian Cioffi believes a series of key decisions have gone against his side in recent weeks.

He said: “A few decisions have been dodgy and I am sick of saying it.

“We should have had a penalty at Macclesfield and also in this game.

“The evidence says there are many such decisions and the club will complain to the FA.”

Crawley, who have also won only one of their last six home matches, are having to do without leading striker Ollie Palmer (suspension) and playmaker Filipe Morais (finger injury) but Cioffi insists there is no lack of effort.

He added: “You create your own luck but my boys are not giving up and I know that as their coach.

“You can win in life and in football and sometimes phases have to be challenged by players.”