Hughes ready for vital 10 days in Carlisle season

Mark Hughes has taken six points from seven games as Carlisle boss

Carlisle United head coach Mark Hughes is desperate to take advantage of a 10-day period that is critical to his team's chances of League Two survival.

They are six points adrift of safety after last Saturday's loss at Harrogate Town with just 11 games left.

But Carlisle have a run of three home games against AFC Wimbledon, Bromley and MK Dons between now and 25 March where they must pick up points.

"I'm not going to deny that this period we're going into is vitally important for us," Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"But this is a real opportunity and we've just got to embrace that and take the opportunity that presents itself."

However, Carlisle's form at Brunton Park this season is dire. Their return of 12 points, with just two wins and only 12 goals, from 17 games is the worst in the EFL.

Hughes' three home games have yielded three points and just one goal, from three draws, yet the performances were promising in all of them.

But the Welshman knows that it is now all about results.

"It's three home games and you would expect to get positive results out of them," he said. "That is our intention and our expectation.

"If you get three points, it changes the whole feeling about the club and the team. We just have to do more of it and these three home games give us a great opportunity to do that."