Last updated 12:21, Thursday, 20 November 2008

Danny Livesey scored one of the best goals of his career in Carlisle United’s 1-0 home win over Cheltenham last season with a cracking 18-yard shot in the dying embers of the game.

But the United skipper admits he’d settle for a scuffed effort or even a deflection in off his backside when the Robins return to Brunton Park on Saturday.

Livesey is just desperate for Carlisle to secure back-to-back victories after last weekend’s 3-1 win over Brighton – and to provide further evidence they have emerged from the doldrums after a depressing run of 10 defeats and two draws in 12 league and cup games.

The central defender said: “It would be fantastic to get another win against Cheltenham.

“It meant we finally got the monkey off our back and got that elusive win after the amount of times we thought we nearly had it and then let ourselves down against the likes of Peterborough and Hartlepool.

“To finally win a game was a massive relief and will give us a good platform to build on.

“I’d love to get another goal against Cheltenham. The one I got last time was one of the best I’ve scored. It was a reaction, snap-shot and I’m going to claim that it was from a full 18 yards! It deflected into my path and I reacted quickly.

“I would take anything on Saturday – even the goalkeeper scoring!”

Livesey revealed he knew morale had been boosted by Saturday’s victory – when the training ground banter returned on Monday morning.

The three points lifted the gloom that had descended in the dressing room but the jokes were flying round the training ground again this week as a smile returned to everyone’s face.

Livesey believes the win over Brighton was testament to the hard graft behind the scenes as United desperately tried to halt their alarming slide down the League One table.

He said: “There was a lot of relief after the win and there were a lot of happy faces as well. There was definitely an extra zip in training again, with a few jokes flying about and people were wanting to stay behind for shooting practice and all that comes with confidence. It’s amazing what one win can do.

“We’ve worked really hard during the difficult patch – probably more than at anytime during my time at the club. The lads were working really hard to get us out of it.

“We know we’ve got to carry on as one win doesn’t achieve anything. We’ve been saying we hadn’t turned into a bad team overnight but there were doubts in our mind. You start looking at your own game and winning builds confidence again.”