Shaun Miller hopes he has booked his place in Keith Curle's Carlisle United team after his cup heroics at Fleetwood.

The striker followed a good pre-season by scoring on his first start of 2017/18 as the Blues upset their League One hosts.

And Miller, who was left on the bench for Carlisle's league opener last weekend, is now eyeing a role at Cambridge in two days' time.

"The manager's got decisions to make with formations and whatever, and obviously I'd have liked to have started [against Swindon], but you just have to take your chance when you can," Miller said.

"I've felt really good throughout pre-season, even better than last year, and I feel fitter than ever, so to get an early goal in the competitive games, I'm delighted.

"I just want to keep that going and take it into the next game. It was a good team performance at Fleetwood and the manager's got a few decisions to make for the weekend."

Miller felt Carlisle's 2-1 extra-time win at the Highbury Stadium was the ideal response to their opening-day 2-1 defeat in League Two.

The 29-year-old feels it is vital United can follow Tuesday's impressive efforts with another strong showing on their first away trip of the league campaign.

"It was important to bounce back after the disappointment of the weekend, so to get through and get the win was pleasing for everybody," the former Morecambe man said.

"A slight nick took my shot over the goalkeeper, but it was important for us to get in front and I thought we played really well in spells during the game.

"We showed good character to come back after they equalised and we're delighted to go through.

"We'll use that to go into the weekend's game and hopefully pick up our first win in the league. After making such a good start last year, it's important we get back on that trail of winning games.

"We've got the first one, and even though it's in the cup it's important to get that winning mentality. Cambridge will be another tough game - none of them are easy - but we'll be going down there with the mentality to win the game by whatever means necessary."

Miller also said he enjoyed playing alongside big summer signing Richie Bennett, who also impressed on his full debut at Fleetwood.

"It's great for me working off a bigger striker," Miller said. "He can beat up the defenders and I'll get the flick-ons. It was my first time [starting] with Richie so we'll see what it brings."

United will learn their second-round Carabao Cup opponents tonight when the draw is made on Sky Sports News, after the televised Bury v Sunderland game.

Carlisle are unseeded and could face one of the 13 Premier League teams not involved in European competition.