This time last month things weren’t looking good for Carlisle United. They’d lost four of their first five matches in all competitions, now they’re unbeaten in their last six league games, winning four of them, and up to fourth in the table.

It’s tremendous the way they’ve bounced back from that bad start. If you look at the two league games they’ve lost, Cambridge are second. It’s only Scunthorpe, who are second-bottom, that you’d say was a bad result.

Last year Carlisle were signing players after the pre-season friendlies. This year they signed them before and they’re reaping the benefits of them having more time to gel. And Chris Beech has got a big enough, and good enough, squad to get through having a few knocks. Last year there wasn’t that choice.

Grimsby away last Saturday was a decent point, especially coming from behind. And it was a very good performance on Tuesday night, beating Morecambe 3-1 at Brunton Park. We had a bit of luck with own goals in both those matches but we could have had a lot more goals with the chances created and defensively we’re looking solid.

Clubs have always looked at Carlisle geographically as a bad place to go. This season players will be thinking of the long journey and also that it will be a harder game at the end of it than they’ve had in the last few years. There’s a lot of psychology in it. The psychology is the opposite for Carlisle. They’re full of confidence.

Speaking of long journeys, Exeter tomorrow is Carlisle’s longest of the season. Exeter are where they usually are, in or around the play-offs. They’re in sixth place, one point behind Carlisle. A draw would be a good result.

Then there’s another big test next Tuesday night, home to top-of-the-league Newport. These will be tough matches but you expect Carlisle to get a result, the amount of possession and chances they’ve been having. It would be great if this time next week we’re talking about an eight-match unbeaten run.

The FA Cup first round is taking Carlisle to the suburbs of London again. After winning at Dulwich Hamlet last year we’ll be at Hayes and Yeading, of the Southern League Premier Division South, the level below Conference North and South, a week tomorrow. If you’re going to be drawn away, that’s the kind of draw you want. Carlisle are more than capable of winning.

There was controversy in League Two this week when former Barrow manager Ian Evatt, now at Bolton, criticised his 20-year-old on-loan goalkeeper Billy Crellin, saying he needs to “man up.” I think it’s wrong when that kind of criticism is made outside the dressing room. When I played, horrendous things were said. I had some tough meetings with Bob Stokoe especially. But it shouldn’t be there for the public to see. Evatt realised that and apologised. He’s under pressure himself as a manager struggling at a new club.

Finally, it’s great to see Workington Reds unbeaten and top of the league. It must have been hard for them to come back this season after knowing they should have won the league last year before all the results were cancelled. Fair play to Danny Grainger and his players.