Carlisle United manager Keith Curle predicts there will still be “lots of twists and turns” in the race for League Two play-off places.

Curle’s side have won only one of their last 10 matches and have collected just one victory at Brunton Park in 2017, beating leaders Doncaster in February.

But the Blues are still seventh in the league table, the final play-off place, and could move ahead of this afternoon’s visitors Stevenage and as high as fifth with a victory.

Meanwhile, Darren Sarll’s men themselves have lost their last two matches as things hot up in the race for play-off places with fourth-placed Luton and Cambridge in 11th only separated by seven points.

United manager Curle feels his side can take confidence that their play-off bid remains within their own hands with only four more regular league fixtures to play.

“I think it is good that another game has gone and we are still in the play-offs,” the Blues boss said.

“There is an opportunity, if we win our home game today, and teams don’t pick up points around us, it can make us comfortably in there.

“There is still going to be lots of twists and turns with the games left.”

Jabo Ibehre scored Carlisle’s goal to earn them a share of the spoils against Hartlepool on Friday and he was partnered up front by Bolton loanee Jamie Proctor.

On the performance of the strike partnership, Curle said: “I thought they terrorised their two centre-backs in the first half. They gave them a lot of problems.

“You would probably say that we could have got the ball forward with a little bit more quality at times and given them even more ammunition to go and work with.

“I thought the formation worked. The instructions to the players were good and they took it on board very well.”

But Curle added he felt Hartlepool’s equaliser on Friday, after an attempted Danny Grainger clearance was charged down and fell kindly for Rhys Oates, showed United are not “getting that little rub on the green”.

He added: “I think, before that, it could have been cleared more decisively.

“We are not getting that little rub of the green. But we will get it when we need it at the right time.”