Last updated 11:44, Wednesday, 30 April 2008

WITH any luck, this time next week Carlisle United will be basking in the glory of promotion to the Championship.

That woeful capitulation against Millwall last weekend will soon be forgiven and forgotten.

But supporters shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that missing out on an automatic promotion is not a disaster. Nor would it represent failure by John Ward and his team.

The fact is that this side has punched above its weight this season and in doing so has raised expectations to the point that, sadly, anything less than securing runners-up spot will be considered by many people as unacceptable.

As United have stuttered during the run-in, it has become patently clear that Ward’s squad doesn’t have the strength in depth to sustain a promotion push.

The absence of suspended pair Danny Livesey and David Raven for Saturday’s must-win game against Bournemouth, forcing the injured Paul Reid to play through the pain barrier, proves how weak the squad is compared to Swansea City, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.

Ward’s side never fully recovered from the loss of record-signing Joe Garner.

The prolific young striker was Carlisle’s match-winner, capable of scoring a goal when it matters most and inspiring an unexpected win with a piece of individual brilliance.

His injury was a catastrophic blow to their promotion prospects, and he was never properly replaced in the January transfer window.

Achieving a play-off place was probably United’s best hope this season.

Whatever drama unfolds on Saturday, the players and manager should be congratulated not condemned.