My initial reaction at full-time on Saturday was to be pretty content with Carlisle’s draw at Oldham. I was then a little surprised by some of the reaction coming in from people who felt it wasn’t a good point.

Was it a good point, or wasn’t it? For me it all boils down to what happens next.

I always feel that, whatever your level, if you go away from home and take something away from the game, it’s usually a good effort.

That only truly applies, though, if you then win your home game. Saturday’s point will become a hell of a lot better with a victory over Walsall in four days’ time.

With this in mind, I can fully understand the views of those fans who weren’t particularly enthused after the Oldham draw. How can we trust we are going to win the next game, they are probably thinking? Carlisle haven’t been reeling off the victories, after all.

I am, though, on the side that thinks they will go on and beat Walsall at Brunton Park and make four points from two games a very useful return.

At Oldham, the home side started with their tails up, Carlisle weren’t at it initially and rode their luck a bit. Then Chris Beech’s team went ahead, but conceded a sloppy equaliser. After that it was to and fro, a high-energy game, which was quite enjoyable to watch.

When I spoke on the radio immediately after full-time I hadn’t realised the gap between Carlisle and the bottom position, which had recently been eight points, had now been cut to four.

Maybe, in light of that, I should start worrying more than I have been. I always feel, with the general standard in League Two, that with players like Nathan Thomas and Harry McKirdy you are going to have enough attacking ability to get out of it.

I’ve always felt, too, that with just the one relegation place this season, there will be at least one team worse than United. That’s not a very ambitious thought, and nobody should want to think like that, but it’s the scenario at the moment.

I wouldn’t want to crack up any more pressure on the players but the unfortunate fact is you really do have to go and beat Walsall in order to justify these thoughts. As much as the players have received credit for their efforts against Cardiff in the FA Cup replay, that can easily be turned against them.

Falter against Walsall and people will inevitably ask why on earth they can do it against a Championship team at Brunton Park, but not in crucial games in League Two?

It has been pointed out that Carlisle have never been more than one goal ahead in a league game this season. You get these stats at times; I’m reminded of one a few seasons ago when United were poor at coming from behind.

Maybe, if Beech’s team can get two goals up, you will see a different team, the shackles coming off a bit. At the minute, though, it is just too nervy. After going 1-0 up, you don’t see Carlisle confidently building on it.

Instead it is about weathering a storm and getting through certain points of the game, and unfortunately they couldn’t do that at Boundary Park.

The 1-1 draw saw two new signings involved in the shape of Max Hunt and, from the bench, Joshua Kayode.

I felt Hunt, at centre-half, went about the game the right way. We have been told he is a ball-player, and the fear when you hear that is that you are going to see another academy defender who doesn’t initially do the basics of League Two football first.

Hunt, though, has been on loan in the National League for half a season and was happy, in any moments of risk, to get rid of it. He didn’t take any chances and I can’t remember him getting caught on the ball.

He also got to grips with a forward in Danny Rowe who has been there and done it below the Football League. It is a step up for Hunt but I thought he handled himself well.

Kayode, when he came on, didn’t get loads of the ball up front but he looks a good size and there was a moment, when Carlisle broke, that he made up the ground very, very quickly.

That is going to give the team a different dynamic. They can now send it over the top and stretch the team out a bit more.

When Carlisle had the pace and running of Ashley Nadesan and Jerry Yates in attack last season, it enabled Jamie Devitt to get on the ball more in midfield. Hopefully Kayode might see the rejuvenation of a Stefan Scougall, for instance; because defences are scared stiff of Kayode, there is suddenly a much bigger hole in front of them for a number 10 to operate in.

Nick Anderton has also come in and will hopefully strengthen the defence. To be brutally honest, Carlisle needed a left-back, and although he has recently returned from injury I don’t think Anderton will be too far off being ready to play.

It should be a new lease of life for him. He will have been kicking his heels at Blackpool and he has come here at Carlisle with an 18-month deal, knowing the head coach really wanted him.

I expect he will be comfortable, and will be able to handle the level and the situation United are in. This is what Carlisle need in his position: low-maintenance, six or seven out of 10 every week, defending properly and being part of a foundation that can hopefully lead to the wins they require.

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There are clearly a number of players out of favour at Carlisle and this poses challenges for both the individuals concerned and the head coach.

As a player it can be horrendous to find yourself in this situation. I’ve been at clubs where managers have come in midway through a season and decided there is a group that he just doesn’t fancy.

That’s the manager’s right. At Darlington, Steve Staunton decided to banish us, and make us train with the youth team, and then brought his own men in, only for it to turn out that those he banished were still the better players.

In Carlisle’s case now Chris Beech will have to judge whether any of those he has left out will cause a negative effect around the squad.

Players who suddenly seem a long way out of the picture, like Canice Carroll, might understandably be a bit down when they go into training, knowing they're not going to be playing.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a separation, but these are the scenarios you can face when you are confronting poor recruitment under a previous manager.

Beech just has to be honest with any unhappy player and explain they are not in his plans, and if things change, be ready to go.

This is where personal pride comes into it and I’ve gone both ways as a player. At Barnsley I got my head down, trained hard, and although my chance didn’t come and I ended up moving on, it meant that I was fit and raring to go for that next opportunity.

At Darlo I was nearer the end of my career and, in exile under Staunton, instead of concentrating on my own predicament I trained with the kids and tried to help and advise those youth players.

More experienced players at Carlisle might be thinking a little more about life after football in that way. They might speak to Beech about ways they can help, rather than have any falling-out.