Manager Richie Wellens feels Leyton Orient’s recent results are promotion material – even if he is reluctant to study the league table.
The Os jumped to 10th in League One with victory at Brunton Park courtesy of Ruel Sotiriou’s 21st-minute goal from Joe Pigott’s assist.
“The players are growing in confidence at this level,” said Wellens, whose side began life in the third tier with defeats to Charlton, Portsmouth and Wycombe.
“We played Charlton away in front of 20,000, who are a big club at this level, but it was a 50-50 game that went against us,” he explained.
“We lost a tough game at home to Portsmouth, who are running away with the division.
“And we played Wycombe away, battered them but had a man sent off after 50 minutes and lost 3-2.
“So, I am pleased with our last nine games because our points return has been promotion form.
“We have got 17 points and it could have been 20 from 10 games with the (abandoned) game at Lincoln.
“But I am not even going to look at the table because it is forever changing. However, I do think in the next six or seven games it will take more shape.”
Orient could have been out of sight by half-time, with Idris El Mizouni hitting the crossbar and Blues keeper Tomas Holy denying Dan Happe and Sotiriou.
In the end though, Carlisle might have claimed a late point as substitute Terry Ablade struck a post.
“We should probably easily have been two or three up,” said Wellens. “In the end the game became about long balls, set-plays conceding free-kicks.
“Carlisle turned it into the game they wanted. But it is a good win because it is a tough place to come and they are a tough team to play against.”
The Cumbrians were a shadow of the side that stunned Bolton the previous weekend. And last season’s play-off winners sit one place and three points above the drop zone.
“We can’t go into any game in this league, or any league, starting like we did,” said manager Paul Simpson.
“We have gone from such a level last week and had an opportunity to repeat that level of performance in front of our own supporters and we let ourselves down.
“That is the big disappointment because second half we had a go and were more positive in our passing and running.
“It shows there is a level of inconsistency in the group. That’s not me being brutal; it’s me being honest.
“We had a level of consistency last season that was good enough to get us into the play-offs. We have now stepped up and we haven’t got that level of consistency.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
