Carlisle: Cobblers perfectly placed for promotion push

Town went third in the division on Tuesday night thanks to a victory over Aldershot secured by Carlisle’s 35th-minute header and a Chris Hackett penalty.

They are without a game this weekend as the Shots, who they should have played on Saturday, are in FA Cup fourth-round action against Middlesbrough.

Such a scenario means Northampton will possibly lose ground in the division and their next two fixtures are very difficult ones - at Gillingham on Tuesday night and then at Rotherham United a week on Saturday.

Carlisle feels the team is primed to maintain their good recent form and clinch a place among the clubs bidding to play league one football next season.

“It’s a great position for us to be in,” he said. “We’re in the peloton and we’re right on the corner, right on the shoulder of the leaders.

“We’re looking up and hopefully we’ll peg them back in the next few games.”

The win at Aldershot was only the Cobblers’ third on their travels this season, a record that is in stark contrast to their form at Sixfields, where 10 wins have already been accrued.

Carlisle felt the nature of the win at the EBB Stadium, in snowy and difficult conditions, proves the team’s mental strength and hopes it will be a sign of things to come.

“We played the fixture much better than we have recent away games but we did go behind too, which has been a problem in a lot of our away games this season, so we need to look at that,” he said.

“To come back from that was a real show and hopefully that will lead on to more performances of that character.”