Paul Simpson said Carlisle United’s “thorough and professional” display against Hartlepool is something they must strive to repeat as often as possible.
The Blues swept aside Keith Curle’s strugglers 3-1 in an impressive Brunton Park showing.
Morgan Feeney’s goal and a Kristian Dennis double sent fourth-placed United just a point outside the top three – and five points above eighth place.
Manager Simpson felt some players produced their best showings of the season.
And he said: “It was a thorough and professional performance from the whole group.
“I’m delighted for the brilliant support we got on a Tuesday night, because we knew we were going to lose out on the numbers that would have come on a Saturday.
READ MORE: Our big match verdict on Blues' impressive win over Hartlepool
“Credit to everybody for turning up and making such a great noise and to the players for putting on a show.
“The players showed real good leadership out there to keep control of the game, which is what we have to have.
“I can’t really do a hell of a lot from the sideline once it starts. I thought the players managed the game really, really well and showed a real professional attitude towards it. We’re going to need it again.”
Captain Feeney’s first Brunton Park goal was followed by Dennis’s 16th of the season, and fourth in consecutive games, before Pools’ Josh Umerah pounced on an Owen Moxon error to pull one back.
Moxon, though, then produced another pinpoint assist for Dennis to score again to make the points safe, on a night Joe Garner got a warm welcome on his fourth Carlisle debut as a second-half substitute.
Carlisle's three-goal haul in their fourth win in five means they are now League Two's highest-scoring team on 42 goals from their 26 games.
“My last message to them in our meeting [before the game] was, ‘Find a way to win, but we’re going to have to be patient’, because I really thought [Hartlepool] were going to come, make it hard to play against, and really shut up shop," said Simpson.
“I thought they went a bit bigger and physical, but we just started well, started front foot, started with energy, Jack Armer winning first contacts when balls were played up to him, runners getting off him, JK Gordon getting his backside in and making it difficult, Denno just being a pest like he is as a striker, and I just thought in midfield we had real control about the way we played as well.
“The way we set about things got us two goals to the good so I was disappointed with the goal we conceded. But we didn’t let that affect us or get us down.
“I don’t even know how many individuals had their best game of the season for us, but there was quite a few of them. I thought we got really good performances from everybody in the group.”
Simpson praised the work behind United’s latest set-piece goal, as Moxon’s corner was attacked by Dennis before the ball broke to Feeney to score.
“Gav [Skelton] keeps mixing the set plays up and trying different things. He does a lot of studying of things we can do to test the opposition and identify where their weaknesses are.
“It’s a goalscorer’s instinct from Denno to get across the near post and get that flick, and that made the keeper commit to a save. Morgan Feeney then has a tap-in.”
Simpson also praised the latest exhibition of quality finishing from top scorer Dennis, who now has 17 for the season and is the joint leading marksman in League Two games with 16 league goals.
“He’s a proper goalscorer, he knows what he’s doing, and I hope he continues,” Simpson said.
“He’s now got competition with Joe Garner in the building, and Omari Patrick fit, and they’re wanting to do their bit as well.
“I want pressure on all of the players to keep performing and the pleasing thing for me is that tonight there’s a reflection of how the group has trained since we got the new additions in.”
Simpson also reserved praise for midfielder Moxon for his “brilliant” delivery for the third goal, adding: “We can talk about the mistake [for Hartlepool’s goal] in the first half but it’s probably the first one he’s made this season, since he joined us in the summer, so we probably have to give him one.
“They were all great goals, good team goals, good work from everybody and a great attitude to get a big win.”
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