Carlisle United assistant manager Tommy Wright admits the Blues must sharpen up their finishing at home in order to turn their Brunton Park fortunes around.

The Blues are seeking a first goal and point in four home games when they host Morecambe tomorrow.

Their three straight away league wins have kept John Sheridan’s 10th-placed side in touch with the early play-off pack.

Wright insists recent home performances have been good but accepts their work in front of goal is all important.

“Some of the games we’ve not played particularly well away from home, but we’ve defended well and got that goal,” he said.

“At home we’ve created four or five really good chances most games and we need to take them.

“That’s football, you live and die by your goalscorers. I feel we are playing well, but you have to score goals to win games.”

Sheridan is facing a number of selection decisions with Hallam Hope away on international duty with Barbados, who face El Salvador this weekend.

The forward was also absent for Tuesday’s 3-1 Checkatrade Trophy defeat at Sunderland, which saw 17-year-old Liam McCarron make his full debut and Sam Adewusi and Jack Egan come off the bench for first senior outings.

Adam Campbell is also likely to be denied permission to face his parent club, as he was when United faced Morecambe in the Trophy last month.

Striker Richie Bennett, though, is close to a return from a groin injury, with Jamie Devitt and Danny Grainger still sidelined. Defender Anthony Gerrard remains a doubt after being rested on Tuesday night as he nursed a calf problem.

United could move back into a play-off position tomorrow but Wright says Jim Bentley’s fifth-bottom Shrimps will be no pushovers.

“Jim has done a terrific job there,” Wright said. “They scored three goals themselves last weekend, but lost 4-3 [to Tranmere].

“It is a strange league at the moment, a bit up and down, and you just have to stay in touch and hopefully progress in January - maybe get one or two more players in to make us better.

“As the saying goes, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

United are close to agreeing a longer deal with keeper Louis Gray, who joined as cover last weekend and has been on the bench for the last two games.

They are also seeking a new goalkeeping coach after Dan Watson’s departure on Monday, which saw him cite personal and family reasons before linking up with former boss Keith Curle at Northampton the same day.

Wright said: “That came out of the blue for me, I had no inkling, and we’re disappointed, because it left us a bit short. But we will fill that void.

“We will try and get the best man possible to help, because our keepers have done well so far.”

United’s youth team are at home to Walsall tomorrow, kick-off 12pm.