Keith Curle says his Carlisle United players are ready to go the full distance tonight if that is what it takes to deliver their Wembley dream.

The Blues are facing the biggest night of their campaign when they go to Exeter with their play-off semi-final on a knife-edge.

The tie is finely poised at 3-3 after the first leg - and the prospect of another nailbiter is looming in Devon (kick-off 7.45pm).

But Curle, who has presided over a number of cup-tie epics in his Blues reign, says his team will be able to cope with the demands of extra-time and penalties if another marathon is in store.

"Physically and mentally, there is an attitude in the group that we face challenges," Curle said.

"In pre-season, we went to Cassius Camps and the players were taken out of their comfort zone.

"That unity and bonding started there. They were asked to do things that were uncommon to footballers - facing hills and half mountains, where you think there's no way you're going to get to the top, but when they did, the view was fantastic.

"The word challenge now is not feared by the players. It will be interesting, from our point of view, if we go a goal up, then score another to get a two-goal advantage - what is their [Exeter's] mental capacity?

"They're going to be looking at us and thinking, 'these are gonna keep going for 95 minutes'. Mentally, physically - a strong outfit."

Curle must decide whether Jabo Ibehre is fit enough to rejoin the squad, with the manager saying the striker could be a 45-minute option if he has suffered no reaction to training.

The Blues boss, meanwhile, says he won't change United's attack-minded approach despite the defensive flaws that have forced his team to come from behind many times this season, Sunday's first leg included.

He said: "It's not something we work on - let's go a goal behind and then win the game.

"They are League Two players, giving me everything they've got.

"Sometimes they make mistakes, which we've got to try and cater for, and we do work defensively, but the emphasis as a group is we want to go and score goals.

"Are we prepared to go on the back foot and nullify getting men forward, to keep the back door closed? It's not how we work. We've got success being on the front foot. Do we need to change now for this game? I don't think we do."

Curle insisted neither side had the advantage of momentum tonight despite Sunday's fightback, saying the tie was simply "back to 0-0".

He added: "The last time I was involved as a manager in a play-off semi-final, I went to Northampton with Mansfield, 2-0 up from the first leg, but within 20 minutes we were 2-0 down.

"At half-time we regrouped and said it was back to level - then we went out and went 3-2 down.

"We then scored with the last kick of the game to draw. Then it was extra-time and we won on penalties. It was a complete rollercoaster as a manager, and I'm ready for it.

"As players, physically and mentally, they are prepared."

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale could recall striker Reuben Reid tonight.