Carlisle v Bournemouth preview

Cumbrians eye promotion; Cherries battling drop

Last updated: 2nd May 2008

John Ward

Ward: Promotion aim

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Carlisle have their sights on automatic promotion, while Bournemouth are battling to beat the drop.

Victory at Brunton Park could be enough for the Blues to clinch automatic promotion depending on how Nottingham Forest and Doncaster fare on Saturday.

And the in-form Cherries must get at least a point at Brunton Park and hope results go their way elsewhere if they are to avoid the drop.

Reid hope

Defender Paul Reid could be a surprise inclusion in the Carlisle side.

Reid has not featured since the 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Southend due to an ankle problem, but has declared himself fit to play despite being unable to train in the build-up to the game.

The possible return of Reid would hand boss John Ward a timely boost as fellow defenders David Raven and Danny Livesey are both suspended.

Raven serves the second of a three-game ban, while Livesey is sidelined by a one-match ban following his sending off in the 3-0 defeat at Millwall last weekend.

Midfielder Jeff Smith, who has been out of action for nearly a month with an ankle problem, is highly unlikely to make a return to action while long-term absentee Joe Garner (knee) remains ruled out.

Bournemouth news

Bournemouth boss Kevin Bond has no new injuries to report as his team bid to carry off a miraculous relegation escape.

Bond has the option of naming an unchanged XI although Neil Young, Ryan Garry, Marvin Bartley and Brett Pitman are also all in the reckoning.

The Cherries will again be without long-term absentees Neil Moss, Gareth Stewart, Russ Perrett and Steven Foley.