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Carlisle – Mansfield. Mark O’Haire’s prediction (VIDEO)
Back-to-back home victories have propelled Carlisle back into play-off contention and the Cumbrians look a touch underrated at 2.15 to secure a third successive Brunton Park success on Saturday.
Sitting just a point and a place behind seventh-placed Wycombe, Carlisle have now W2-D4-L1 in their last seven but renewed confidence and a strong home record should prove a winning combination here.
The Cumbrians have W10-D6-L4 as League Two hosts this season and that return looks even stronger when viewing their efforts against bottom-half visitors (W8-D1-L2).
Curle’s men are the division’s second-top scorers on home soil and their attacking capabilities were epitomised in a ding-dong 4-3 triumph over in-form Bristol Rovers just a fortnight ago. The sharpshooters have found the back of the net with 33% of their on-target attempts in 2015/16.
If Carlisle are smooth operators when hosting the league’s lesser lights, Saturday’s visitors Mansfield are anything but when taking on the division’s elite. The Stags have W14-D1-L3 when taking on clubs in 15th and below but managed a pathetic 10 points (W0-D10-L12) from a possible 66 when faced with sides in 14th and above.
Manager Adam Murray has seen his side’s top-seven dreams fade with a W0-D2-L5 run and attention has already turned to next season. The boss admitted he may “bring in a few kids” between now and the end of the campaign.
Powerful centre half Krystian Pearce begins a three-game ban and influential midfielder Chris Clements is out with a hamstring injury and with the visitors scoring just four goals in seven (and only once in five on the road), the home win looks generous at 2.15.
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