Carlisle United travel to Barrow on Thursday evening, hoping to boost their survival hopes in League Two with a victory in the Cumbrian derby.
The visitors are currently bottom of the table, five points away from safety, with relegation to the National League looking more likely by the week.
Match preview
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Carlisle have only registered five wins in the league all season, so getting victories of any kind has proven difficult throughout the entire campaign for the side looking to avoid a second successive relegation.
The club are already on their third permanent head coach of the season, having sacked Paul Simpson following a poor start to life back in League Two, in which the visitors lost three of their opening four fixtures back in the fourth tier.
After appointing Mike Williamson in September, things appeared to be heading in the right direction, as the Cumbrians won his first match in charge with a 2-0 success against Swindon Town to move outside of the relegation zone.
However, their form soon fell off again, and the club have been in the relegation zone ever since suffering a 4-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon back in October.
Two wins in five matches between December 29 and January 25 gave Carlisle a little bit of hope that their fortunes could change, but a 5-1 loss at home to Swindon proved to be the end of Williamson's short time in charge at Brunton Park.
He was replaced in the dugout by the experienced Mark Hughes, who has guided the club to two draws and two defeats in his four matches in charge.
Therefore, he will be looking to get his first win at his new club on Thursday, as Hughes prepares to take on one of the few sides that Carlisle have tasted success against this season.
Indeed, the Cumbrians were successful in their opening home fixture of the season, as Dan Adu-Adjei scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Barrow back in August.
The history books also favour the visitors in this fixture, with Carlisle winning four of their last five matches against their rivals, with their only defeat in those games coming in the EFL Trophy back in October 2022.
Aside from failing to win many games this year, one of the biggest issues for the visitors this season has been scoring goals, with Carlisle currently tied with fellow strugglers Tranmere Rovers for the least goals scored in League Two this season.
They have also failed to score in 15 of their 32 matches, the second-worst record in the division, with Morecambe the only side to have blanked in front of goal in more matches than Carlisle.
Since Hughes took over earlier this month, the club have failed to score in three of their four matches under the Welshman – although the last two games have ended in goalless draws, to earn two precious points for the visitors.
On Thursday, they will be hopeful that they can improve on the third-worst away record in the division, as the club have only secured three victories on the road all season.
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They take on a Barrow side that have their home form to thank for their 11-point buffer between themselves and the relegation zone in the division.
Eight of Barrow's 10 wins so far this season have been on their own turf, with the Bluebirds claiming 28 of their 37 points from games played at home.
Their season has been rather disappointing, having finished a point off the playoff zone last year in eighth, there was genuine belief that the club could push on and seriously challenge for promotion this time around.
The club parted ways with former manager Pete Wild at the end of last season, and the hosts were top in September after five wins in their opening seven games under Stephen Clemence.
However, a poor run of two wins in their following 18 matches left Barrow 17th in League Two and thankful for their good start to the campaign.
Andy Whing replaced Clemence in January, and the former Solihull Moors boss has won three of his first seven matches in charge of the club, although they have suffered defeat in their last two games.
All three of their wins under Whing have come at home, and the club will be hopeful that they continue their momentum at home and grab the bragging rights against their Cumbrian rivals on Thursday night, as they aim to sink their rivals deeper into the relegation scrap.
Team News
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Winter recruit Ben Whitfield is expected to start in attack for the hosts, having re-joined the club on loan from Burton Albion last month.
Whitfield has scored once and registered an assist in four matches since returning to Barrow, and he is expected to be partnered up front by Aaron Pressley.
Meanwhile, the visitors have been boosted by the recent returns of both Callum Guy and Archie Davies from injury.
Guy made his first appearance in over two months in Carlisle's 0-0 draw against Gillingham at the weekend, while Davies played for the first time since October.
Guy's return is timely, as fellow midfielder Josh Williams is out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury.
In further blows for the visitors, Jordan Jones (foot), Georgie Kelly and Charlie Wyke are all out of contention for this fixture due to injury.
Barrow possible starting lineup:
Farman; Newby, Cameron, Canavan, Vassell; Mahoney, Jackson, Gotts, Williams; Pressley, Whitfield
Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Breeze; Harper, Lavelle, Thomas, Davies; Whelan, Guy, Bevan, Embleton, Harris; Dennis
We say: Barrow 1-0 Carlisle United
Neither side have had particularly impressive campaigns, but Barrow have been good at home throughout the season.
We think that they will get revenge for their defeat to Carlisle earlier in the campaign and grab the three points against their Cumbrian rivals.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Tom Humphrey
