Keith Curle has called on Carlisle United's fans to stick with his team as they try to cope with the "pressure" of the play-off race.

The manager made the appeal ahead of the Blues' remaining five games.

United are aiming to recover from another blow to their top-seven chances after Saturday's home defeat to Mansfield.

It left Carlisle two points outside the play-off places.

Curle said the weight of expectation may have played a part in United's failure to break down Mansfield, who won their first game in eight.

United's boss said: "The players are frustrated.

"They know they put lots of good balls into the box, but with our anticipation on some of the knock-downs, we were slightly reactive.

"We didn’t gamble, we weren't on the move in and around the 18-yard box where you need to get a strike on goal.

"Sometimes that can come out of nerves, pressure, players being desperate to do the right thing.

"Sometimes that can cost you that natural instinct, that half a yard, through not wanting to do the wrong thing.

"It's a pressure situation for these players. They are desperate to do well for this football club.

"Can we ease the pressure off them? You can by saying you're mid table and have got no chance, so relax and enjoy yourselves.

"But no - we're in a pressure situation where, as a collective, everybody associated with the football club has to bear with us, stick with us and back us."

Tom Miller's late consolation came after Colin Daniel and Reggie Lambe had struck for Adam Murray's visitors.

Victory would have put Carlisle seventh, but Wimbledon moved ahead of the pack and into the last play-off place with a late winner at Plymouth.

Curle admitted United were not productive enough around the Mansfield box.

He told the News & Star: "If you get 20+ shots, and only have six on target, it means some of the ratio of getting in and around where want to be is good, but the final product we need to improve on.

"At the end of the day the players have given all they can, and in the final third we just came up a little bit short.

"If we'd got the first goal it could have been a different game completely.

"You can over-analyse it sometimes. I said to the players that we're two points off where we want to be and are trying to get to." Curle also explained his decision to send defender Michael Raynes up front for the closing stages.

He said: "It was just trying to change anything and everything to get something out of the game.

"The longer it goes on and you're knocking at the door, you have to try the back door, the side door, climb through the window if necessary."

Curle also said Mansfield's time-wasting tactics "did my head in" but added: "Some people would call that professionalism, game management.

"As an opposing manager, it's very annoying but would I encourage my team to do it away from home? You'd like to think the players are learning how to see games out."

Curle is hoping to arrange a home reserve friendly against Burnley on Wednesday.