Last updated 09:00, Thursday, 06 March 2008

JOHN WARD saluted Carlisle United’s stunning win at Nottingham Forest in front of the Sky cameras and more than 28,000 fans and said: I knew we wouldn’t get stage fright.

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Marc Bridge-Wilkinson congratulates goalscorer Danny Graham

Danny Graham’s second-half winner in the televised promotion showdown saw the Blues storm back into second place in League One with just two months of the season remaining.

And Ward, who described the memorable 1-0 win as the most significant of Carlisle’s campaign so far, said it proved his players are expert at handling the big occasion.

“The occasion hasn’t fazed anybody - and I didn’t expect it to,” said the Blues boss, whose side triumphed at the City Ground for the first time in the club’s history.

“All I worry about is whether we are good enough – and we have proved that we are.”

Goalkeeper Keiren Westwood took the man-of-the-match honours on Sky after producing two wonder saves to deny Colin Calderwood’s men.

But Ward, who gave an injury-time debut to 17-year-old striker Gary Madine, said a fine team effort had put United five points ahead of Forest in the chase for the Championship.

“It was a terrific game of football and we came to attack,” said Ward after recalling Chris Lumsdon in a five-man midfield behind lone striker Graham, who struck his 13th goal of the season in th 71st minute. “There were two very good teams out there and we’ve managed to win.

“Danny worked his socks off against two very good centre-halves and he gave them problems all night.

Graham’s winner meant former European champions Forest, who included Carlisle-born striker Grant Holt, suffered only their second home defeat of the season in front of 28,487 fans including 822 travelling Carlisle supporters.

Carlisle are now 11 points clear of seventh place and are odds-on to achieve at least a play-off spot.

“They have now won four games on the spin going into back-to-back home matches against Brighton and Luton.

United’s hold on second spot will last just 24 hours if Doncaster win at Bristol Rovers tonight.