Abbott dreaming of Wembley final.

Byline: James Hunter 

CARLISLE boss Greg Abbott is in no mood to take their Johnstone's Paint Trophy clash with Macclesfield lightly - he has set his heart on a first Wembley appearance of his career, writes JAMES HUNTER.

The Cumbrians take on League Two Macclesfield in the second round of the Northern Section of the competition at Brunton Park tonight (7.45pm).

Abbott has been in football for 36 years but has never played in, or managed, a team at Wembley and admits that would be a dream come true for him.

"Playing or managing at Wembley is the ultimate for any Englishman," he said. "I never played there - the closest I ever came was a League Cup quarter-final appearance with Bradford 20 years ago - but I would love to take a team there as a manager. "And we have to be realistic and say this competition is Carlisle United's best chance to get to Wembley.

"If we can beat Macclesfield tonight, we will be three games away from a Wembley final. That is a great incentive for us. "I know some people focus only on the league and try to talk the cup competitions down, but I don't.

"I want to win every league game and every cup tie."

Both Carlisle and Macclesfield go into the tie on the back of three-game unbeaten runs, with Richard Keogh's injurytime equaliser at Walsall on Saturday making it three draws in a row for Abbott's team, while the Silkmen beat Darlington 1-0 to make it two wins and a draw for them.

Abbott will again be without skipper Paul Thirlwell (Achilles), but will make just a couple of changes to the side that started at Walsall.

He said: "I'll be putting out a strong side, you can be sure of that. There will be one or two changes because there are players that we need to protect, but I'm keeping those changes under wraps at present."

Carlisle have already beaten League Two opposition in the shape of Morecambe Town in the first round last month and the draw has pitted them against another side from the division below, but Abbott says there can be no room for complacency against Macclesfield.

"It certainly won't be easy against them, we know that," he said. "I don't care who you play in League One or League Two, if you're not on your game you will get beaten. Keith Alexander is in charge of Macclesfield and he has been in the game at this level a long time and knows exactly what is needed.

"They are on an unbeaten run and so are we - hopefully we will still be on an unbeaten run this time tomorrow."

CAPTION(S):

STILL SIDELINED Carlisle skipper Paul Thirlwell, right, will be missing once more due to injury as the Cumbrians take on Macclesfield Town at Brunton Park tonight.