Carlisle United's Bristol Street Motors Trophy fate will be sealed tonight - one way or the other.

The Blues' chances of progress from the group stage rest on the outcome of Accrington Stanley's game against Nottingham Forest Under-21s.

And Paul Simpson's side are relying on John Coleman's Accrington to pull off a comfortable victory over their young Premier League visitors.

Forest U21s are level on points with United and have a superior goal difference by two to Carlisle, having also scored a goal more than the Blues so far.

News and Star: Nottingham Forest U21s, who beat Carlisle 2-0 last month, go to Accrington tonightNottingham Forest U21s, who beat Carlisle 2-0 last month, go to Accrington tonight (Image: Ben Holmes)

It means United need Coleman's side to win by three goals in order for Carlisle to finish second in northern group C and make it into the knockout stages.

Carlisle kept their unlikely qualification hopes alive last Tuesday when they won 2-0 against Harrogate Town in front of a record low home crowd of 716.

A win by a lesser margin or a draw or defeat would have spelled the end of their chances - but Jordan Gibson's double against Harrogate retained a glimmer of hope.

News and Star: Jordan Gibson's double against Harrogate last week saw Carlisle cling on to their qualification hopesJordan Gibson's double against Harrogate last week saw Carlisle cling on to their qualification hopes (Image: Ben Holmes)

Accrington go into the game on the back of an impressive 2-0 win over high-flying Wrexham in League Two.

The Wham Stadium side sit seventh in the fourth tier and have won six, drawn one and lost three of their home league games.

In the Trophy, meanwhile, Accrington beat Carlisle 1-0 and then went on to defeat Harrogate 5-3.

Forest Under-21s, meanwhile, followed a 2-1 defeat at Harrogate with a 2-0 win over the Blues in the competition.

Accrington head into the game with plenty of miles in their legs recently, having last Tuesday been involved in an extra-time FA Cup first round replay defeat to Doncaster Rovers.

But midfielder Ben Woods says they are determined to put on a good showing tonight.

"I'm sure the lads will recover right and we want to win the group," he told BBC Lancashire. "We've just got to stick together and grind it out together."