Steven Pressley says Carlisle United will continue to be “brave” in their playing style and warned that it will not be perfected overnight.

The Blues have often sought to play out from the back this season.

While they secured a much-needed 1-0 win against Oldham last weekend, they sometimes played themselves into trouble.

Manager Pressley says his players must choose their moments when to play that way, but maintains it requires courage to adopt such a style.

“You have to be brave to play the way we want to play,” he said.

“It’s very easy to take the ball out from your feet and bang it forward. That’s football that’s easy to play.

“You have to have brave players, brave people, brave staff to play the game the way we want.

“At times we did it well [against Oldham], at times we didn’t, but we’re a team that’s evolving all the time and it doesn’t happen overnight.

“We’re working tirelessly to improve and that’s the one thing I can assure people.”

Pressley said that learning to “manage situations” and judge whether to play short or long, is part of his team’s development.

He pointed out that United’s goals in their 3-2 win at Stevenage recently came from building from the back and then hitting the opposition on the break.

“These things can sometimes come under the microscope when you have a disappointment,” Pressley added.

“I want them to play but I also want them to manage the game.

“That’s part of moving forward as a group and managing these situations.”

Most of United’s players have been given the early part of this week off. That comes at the end of the latest “cycle” – something the manager has introduced this season where players and staff are allowed several days’ rest at certain intervals of several weeks.

When United return to the training pitch later in the week they will be preparing for a trip to sixth-placed Newport, who have lost just once in the league so far.

Carlisle will be hoping to continue climbing after moving up two places to 16th.

Pressley said: “When you look at it, we’re only four points off the play-offs – we’re still within touching distance, and I think we’re a team evolving.

“We obviously want to play a certain way but you have to win games of football to keep the journey going.”

Pressley will have Jack Bridge available for the trip to south Wales after suspension but he could face a battle for his place after Mo Sagaf’s midfield display against Oldham.

United’s boss added: “I thought Mo’s performance was outstanding.

“He has improved tactically and in his understanding of the game unbelievably in the last eight weeks, when you compare him to the raw kid who came here.

“He understands when to press and when to recover, and he understands his role in the team.

“His performance was amazing, and [shows] we are doing some things right.”