'You can't always have the perfect strike' - Hughes

Mark Hughes took over at Carlisle in February

Carlisle United manager Mark Hughes wants his strikers to continue to take shots on goal even if the chances are difficult.

The Cumbrians took another stride towards a stunning escape from League Two relegation with a 2-1 win over Bromley on Saturday.

Callum Whelan netted the winner, and when asked about the goal, Hughes praised the striker for taking on the strike and not waiting for a better chance to emerge.

"That is the message we've been saying since we came in," former Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria. "You can't always have the perfect strike.

"Sometimes if you hit it too well, it is easier for the goalkeeper to save it. The ones you don't quite catch are often the ones that go in.

"You've got to buy a ticket, that is for sure."

Carlisle have scored just 28 times in League Two this season, the joint fewest alongside Tranmere.

But they welcome out-of-form MK Dons to Brunton Park on Tuesday with the chance to cut the gap to safety to four points, and also secure successive wins for the first time in two years.

Hughes wants his side to achieve the feat in order to boost their own self belief.

"We've talked about consecutive wins at any level, for us to do that would be huge. We fancy our chances to go away and pick up good points," Hughes added.

"If we can do that, it sends a message to our opponents and ourselves. The players sometimes lack belief, but today they were which maybe hasn't been the casein the past."