Keith Curle today paid tribute to coach Simon Tracey for masterminding Carlisle United's deadly threat from set-pieces.

The Blues have scored a host of goals from dead-ball situations in recent games during their impressive unbeaten run.

And Curle attributes that to the detailed work put in by goalkeeping coach Tracey, who is also in charge of United's attacking set-piece work on the training ground.

Two of United's three goals on Saturday came from set-pieces, while Michael Raynes made a point of celebrating his winning header with Tracey.

Curle said: "Simon does the large majority of the set-pieces and there's camaraderie growing from that too.

"On a Saturday night, while everyone else will be thinking of going out and celebrating, when Simon gets home his first thought will be the next opposition and set-pieces.

"He will trawl through things on the Saturday night and Sunday, and start plotting, then on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday getting the set-pieces in place.

"I think Michael Raynes appreciated the attention to detail that Simon puts in. That's fantastic."

United have had further joy from set-pieces in recent games with their three goals at Morecambe emerging either from corners, free-kicks or long throws.

Their two goals against Colchester the previous weekend came down a similar route.

Curle, whose side go to Stevenage this Saturday, said a lot of painstaking work on the training ground is starting to pay off.

The manager added: "It's probably a bugbear of most players.

"At lots of clubs, when you do all your technical and tactical work, implementing set-pieces, the reaction is like, 'why are we doing this?'

"At our club the players pay attention. And credit to them - the attention to detail that goes in from the coaching staff, Lee [Dykes], Simon and Colin [West], we leave no stone unturned.

"It's like creating a jigsaw puzzle - we try and put the right pieces in the right places.

"We feel we can cause teams problems. We've got the rewards from our hard work. That means lots of mindless looking through videos, looking through set plays, logging set-plays, movement patterns in the opposition - we go through it all as a management staff to give our players the best opportunity.

"When we're going through set-pieces, the players listen."

There is confusion, though, on whether one of United's set-piece experts will be available this weekend.

It had been understood that captain Danny Grainger was facing suspension after collecting five bookings.

But FA statistics show the left-back is only on four yellow cards, while United's own matchday programme does not record a booking Grainger apparently received in last month's 2-2 draw at Doncaster

Other outlets, including the Press Association, claim he is on five bookings.

The News & Star has asked the Blues to clarify. They were unavailable for comment last night.

Shaun Miller will definitely sit the game out after his red card against Hartlepool.