Blues boss on the 'minimum' to expect from Holloway's Swindon
Mike Williamson says Carlisle United must match the well-known intense work-rate of Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town this weekend.
The Blues boss said the “minimum” to expect from Saturday’s visitors is an organised and determined side.
Swindon have pulled clear of relegation danger in recent weeks and now sit 13 points above the drop zone.
Veteran manager Holloway has overseen three straight wins and Williamson says the 61-year-old’s methods come as no surprise.
“I came up against him as a player, when he was at Blackpool in the Premier League, and his teams were very, very organised,” said the United head coach.
“They had a distinct style of play. They moved the ball and they were just really hard-working.
“In that, you know what you're going to get. That's the minimum you're going to get. So we've got to match that for our quality to come through.”
Swindon did United a favour on Tuesday by staging a dramatic fightback to defeat third-bottom Tranmere Rovers 3-1.
The Robins were trailing until the 87th minute but their late rally kept Tranmere just five points above second-bottom United.
Carlisle won 2-0 at Swindon in Williamson's first game in charge...but Ian Holloway has since come in to lead them up the table (Image: Richard Parkes)
Now, though, Carlisle must try and disrupt 16th-placed Swindon’s form as the Cumbrians desperately seek points to boost their survival cause.
“They've got a very detailed structure, in terms of really wanting to play forward,” added Williamson of Swindon.
“Their distances are really tight. They're just relentless in everything they do, which just makes them really, really hard to play against.
“But we're focusing on ourselves and we feel as though if we put the shift that we did against Notts County, that we'll be OK.
“We know we've just got to get to the same levels again.”
United will be aiming to complete a league double over Swindon, having won 2-0 at the County Ground in September in Williamson’s first game in charge. Ex-Blues attacker Dan Butterworth will be in the Robins’ squad.
