Keith Curle said Carlisle United's matchwinner Shaun Miller supplied the perfect response after being "livid" to be left in the reserves.

The striker's crucial goal against Wycombe came four days after the summer signing had featured in a second string game at Oldham.

Curle said he had included the former Morecambe man in the midweek encounter to fire him up.

And Miller duly delivered his first league goal for United in Saturday's 1-0 win - as Curle's side extended their unbeaten start to nine games and rose to sixth in League Two.

Curle said: "A lot of people might not realise why [Shaun] played on Tuesday.

"I wanted to annoy the living daylights out of him by taking him down to Oldham and playing him in a reserve team fixture.

"He was absolutely livid. He took it out in his game, and showed that level of aggression I wanted from him.

"On Thursday morning I told him his reaction on Tuesday had got him in the starting line-up for Saturday.

"It showed he knew what I was about. If I don’t think you are doing it, I will make you do it. There's a reserve game at Oldham - you're playing.

"Shaun's a good player. If there's a one-on-one and you want someone running through - that's Shaun Miller."

Curle believes the 28-year-old will get more goals for United as his team-mates continue adapting to his game.

The manager added: "Some people don't understand his movement and his paths to lose defenders, to get them watching the ball and not watching him.

"We're still learning about Shaun ourselves and sometimes it's getting that combination as a team.

"Sometimes he's made great runs and we haven't found him quickly enough. But that will come. Shaun Miller will score goals. He has scored goals previously.

"Likewise, Charlie Wyke and Jabo Ibehre will score goals. They've been frustrated, because we've been creating a number of chances and not always getting our rewards, but they've been staying back in training, with Colin [West] and Lee [Dykes], doing finishing."

United's 1-0 win at Brunton Park broke their recent run of draws and put them in sight of a record-equalling Football League start of 10 unbeaten games when they go to Doncaster tomorrow night.

Curle added: "It was a job well done - technically, physically, mentally, tactically, the players turned up. As and when needed they all played their part in a collective team effort.

"There's a resilience about the group, in staying undefeated, but we have also got ability and have created some fantastic chances.

"If things had gone our way [in previous games] we would be top of the league. But we're in good shape and there's good belief and honesty, and togetherness and unity, growing within the football club.

"We need people to be united as a football club, and gradually we're gelling. More people are starting to understand what we're about, the professional environment we're creating, and they understand sometimes we as staff might not be the happiest people, in and around the building, but we're focused and want to make Carlisle United successful.

"You need discipline and focus for that. But we need everybody to get on board and help us, we can't do it all ourselves."

Curle praised his defence for the way they coped with Wycombe's physical threat and then adjusted when visiting boss Gareth Ainsworth made substitutions in the second half.

Meanwhile, the United boss - who will check on Wyke after he was substituted with a knee injury - is set to resume his assessment of Derek Asamoah.

Curle said the veteran striker, who is training with his squad as he bids to rejoin the club, was given a fitness programme to work on over the weekend.

Curle said: "Derek's desperate to find out if there's something on offer here, but he knows first of all he's got to prove his fitness with me.

"He knows the group; we're a fit bunch of lads. He's been away, he's been short, and I can't offer contracts to people I don’t think can help me right now - they have to earn that.

"He's been given a programme by [fitness coach] Lee Fearn, with a heart-rate monitor. He can't put it on the dog - it's tailored purely for him.

"The data we get back from that will show us if Derek really wants to be here. Is he going to go and do the hard work away from the prying eyes? He has to hit those targets to hit those fitness levels."

Another trialist - believed to be a former Chelsea player - attended Saturday's game and is set to return to the club on Wednesday.