Draw not on agenda
Last updated 14:59, Wednesday, 14 May 2008
RECALLED play-off hero Marc Bridge-Wilkinson insists Carlisle United cannot afford to play for a draw in tomorrow’s massive second leg against Leeds.
The midfield ace was the matchwinner at Elland Road when he capped his first-team comeback with United’s superb second goal.
But the former Bradford and Port Vale man said Dougie Freedman’s late strike for Leeds had simply reminded the Blues that the job was far from completed.
“Maybe it will give us the kick up the bum we need,” he said. “We’re only a goal in front now and we can’t go and rest on our laurels.
“We can’t just try to sit on a one-goal lead. We have to try and win the game. If we don’t do that, we might struggle. But I’m sure the gaffer and the lads will be ready for it.”
John Ward surprisingly axed the 29-year-old schemer for the final game of the 46-game league season against Bournemouth last weekend, but Bridge-Wilkinson more than justified his recall at Leeds with an influential display.
“I was disappointed to be dropped but these things happen in football and maybe it was the kick up the bum I needed,” he said. “It was good to be back in the side but the main thing is we got the result we wanted.
“As far as I was concerned, the goal was quite simple. All the hard work was done by the lads who got to the position where Evan Horwood could put the ball across. I just had to put it in.
“It was a great occasion on Monday and we played really well. These are the types of games you want to play in. After the Millwall game a couple of weeks ago there was a lot of disappointment at the position we were in, but we have got over it now and shown people what we are capable of again.
“It was the best we had played since the Leyton game. We would have taken 2-1 at the start of the game and we look forward to tomorrow now.”
