Last updated at 12:51, Tuesday, 17 November 2009

If Carlisle United force an early corner or free-kick at Christie Park tonight, it’s hardly breaking a training ground secret to report where the delivery might be heading.

Ian Harte

Towards Ian Harte in the penalty area, in other words, and then – if the recent pattern is followed – into the Morecambe net.

The defender, who is enjoying his status as the Cumbrians’ new leading marksman, has been no stranger to the scoresheet in his long and impressive career, particularly with Leeds and the Republic of Ireland.

Previously, however, his name has been made through the conversion of free-kicks and penalties with that clinical left-foot.

Now, you are just as likely to see the 32-year-old steaming onto a cross and applying a scoring touch. Three of his seven goals this season have been taken in that manner, along with the four spot-kicks he has also buried (including one on the rebound, against Charlton, to be accurate).

So when Morecambe’s manager Sammy McIlroy and his players got down to their set-piece preparations on the training ground yesterday, it’s fair to assume that a decent chunk of time was devoted to the difficult business of thwarting Harte’s perfectly-timed runs into the danger area.

“We know Ian is capable of scoring goals, because he has got goals all the way through his career,” said McIlroy’s opposite number, Greg Abbott.

“But he has probably surprised himself that he is sitting here top scorer.

“From set-pieces – corners and free-kicks – he is a threat.”

Tranmere, Bristol Rovers and Morecambe themselves have seen their nets ripple this campaign due to a Harte foray.

His volley against the Pirates in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat saw him overtake Scott Dobie as United’s most prolific scorer in 2009/10.

And while Abbott would undoubtedly like his strikers to speed past the left-back-turned-centre-half as a matter of urgency, he will not turn down another decisive contribution from Harte tonight.

“I have always said there are goals all over this team,” said the Blues manager. “I don’t think we are going to have a 25-a-season man, but we might get a few around 11 or 12. It doesn’t really matter how you get there.

“We have scored 10 goals in our last four, which is really encouraging. Conceding three on Saturday was just as disappointing and we are looking at how we stop them again.

“But if you are scoring goals, you are always capable of winning matches and we have got that back into our game. Ian’s contribution in that sense has been phenomenal.”

One man who failed to find the net on Saturday, and may be looking to vent some personal frustration on the Shrimps tonight, is Vincent Pericard.

The big Frenchman was a picture of exasperation at the Memorial Stadium after failing to beat home keeper Mikkel Andersen from close range.

Despite that, Pericard has become an automatic pick in his short time with United and Abbott yesterday explained the need to nurse the ex-Portsmouth striker through the Cumbrians’ hectic winter fixture calendar.

Responding to a question about Pericard’s 75th minute withdrawal on Saturday, Abbott said: “We had a chat about that and Vince is in full agreement with what we are talking about. He has played a glut of games for us without much work behind it. He came in without a pre-season or much training, and we have got him fit on the run.

“We have talked about the amount of games being played and the possibility of him picking up a niggly injury, and there was always an agreement that we would protect him at times.

“With 15 minutes to go we didn’t think it was a major problem to take him off. We have got Scott Dobie there who has been superb lately and ready to go right into the firing line.

“The result went the wrong way for us after that, but was it down to Vince being off the field? I don’t think it was. And Vince understands he has got a big role to play for us. The last thing we want is him picking up knocks late in games.”

Harte, Pericard, or any other player in blue: given the financial importance of tonight’s battle on the Lancashire coast, Abbott and United will continue to take their goals however they come.

First published at 11:38, Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk