Lethal Jabo Ibehre became the country’s leading scorer but insisted – I’m still not at my best!

The new Carlisle United frontman achieved instant hero status with his hat-trick against Cambridge.

The first treble of his career – and the first by a United player for five years – took his tally to six in three games.

But the 32-year-old, whose heroics salvaged a dramatic 4-4 draw, remains adamant he has not yet hit his full potential.

“It’s great to get the goals but there’s still more to come in sharpness, hold-up play and getting at people, Ibehre said.

“It’s early days and probably by the fifth or sixth games you find your feet more.

“Who knows what’s going to happen? At the moment I’m really pleased, as a team we’re getting there, and scoring is fantastic.”

Ibehre left Brunton Park with the match ball following his predatory finishing in front of a 6,354 Brunton Park crowd.

The former Leyton Orient and Colchester man added: “It’s my first hat-trick ever and I’m chuffed. Hopefully it shows hard work pays off.

“Obviously you want to score on your debut [at Mansfield] and fortunately I did that, and to keep doing what I’m doing is very pleasing.

“The character from the team was awesome. We could have easily lost our heads, but we kept doing the right things. It feels like a win almost.”

Ibehre added that United’s pre-season, including a gruelling training session at Cassius Camps in the Lake District, had helped build character.

He also insists Carlisle – whose squad today set off for tomorrow night’s game at Plymouth – can quietly climb the table once they get into their stride.

Ibehre said: “In pre-season we were pushed to areas you didn’t think you could get to. Because of that, when you’re out on the pitch, there’s a trigger in your head that makes you think, ‘I can get this’.

“Maybe it gave us an extra yard or focus in the mind. Long may it continue.”

He added: “I just like to ghost quietly, be unassuming and get on with the job. Hopefully it will be the same with us – go about our work, be successful, go up the league quietly and who knows what happens?”

Manager Keith Curle, meanwhile, admitted Carlisle had work to do at the other end after shipping four poor goals, but insisted he would not abandon his passing philosophy.