The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog comes as Carlisle United edge closer to promotion from League One, with a vital win against Yeovil Town.
Football: Carlisle United - Bottle!
In mid-week, Carlisle United's impressive run of consecutive home wins ended, as they were beaten by Nottingham Forest, at Brunton Park. And yesterday, they went a goal down at home to Yeovil Town. With the pressure mounting in the League One run-in, it might be expected that The Cumbrians would choke. That the Forest defeat would sew sufficient seeds of doubt in their minds. Doubts leading to uncertainty, leading to fear. And another home reverse.
The fact that Carlisle went on to beat Yeovil, with a last minute Scott Dobie goal, speaks volumes for their mental strength. Mental strength that comes from being able to put a defeat into perspective. To not let it grow out of proportion. To not let it inveigle the good work that has been done all season.
It means being able to draw on all the factors that have led to fourteen successive home wins. The confidence. The belief. The togetherness. The camaraderie. The team-spirit. The trust. The desire. Factors which are not diminished by a rare home blip.
It would be a major surprise if Carlisle United now failed to claim an automatic promotion spot. For yesterday, they passed one of the toughest tests of all. Which is the test asked of any side seeking promotion. That is, have you the mental strength to handle the pressure when it comes calling? When the question was asked yesterday, Carlisle United, showed that they had.
