Carlisle United must be wary of Doncaster Rovers, Jordan Gibson factor | OneFootball

The Blues have experienced a couple of cases of ex-players performing well against them this season already.

The former-player bug has bitten Carlisle United a couple of times already this season, and they are at threat of being inflicted with the same punishment when they take on Doncaster Rovers.

Mike Williamson's side come into their home game against Donny with as much form and momentum as they have had since he became the Carlisle head coach in September.

It's the first time in his tenure that United have gone unbeaten in two successive league games, but he is still waiting for his first victory at Brunton Park.

Breaking that trend against Rovers would be quite a result. Donny are third in the league heading into the game, and Carlisle, despite their improved performances, are still in the bottom two.

Grant McCann's team is full of talent. They have players with real strong ability and pedigree in Luke Molyneux and former Premier League striker Billy Sharp, but it's another one of Doncaster's creative players that Carlisle will hope won't do them damage.

Carlisle United must be wary of the Jordan Gibson factor ahead of Doncaster

Two former Blues have scored against United this season: Omari Patrick and Andy Cook. Both forwards netted braces in the respective 2–1 victories over Carlisle, and there's a real threat that, upon his return to Brunton Park, Jordan Gibson could put on a similar show.

Gibson was a very marmite-like player for supporters, and sometimes the staff, of the Cumbrian side. Sometimes his raw ability and flair would wow you to the point that you couldn't help but enjoy what he was doing on the pitch. On other days, he would equally frustrate fans with his seeming lack of work rate.

It was no surprise that the 26-year-old got released at the end of last season when Carlisle were relegated to League Two, despite being their top scorer. It just felt like he was at the end of his tenure with the club, especially after he looked to have been caught on video partying in the town centre less than 48 hours before the club's Easter Monday game versus Lincoln City.

So, the attacking midfielder didn't leave on the best of terms, unlike Patrick. He got a warm reception from the home supporters when he and his Tranmere Rovers teammates beat the Blues in Paul Simpson's final game in charge. Gibson isn't expected to get the same sort of welcome back from the majority of Carlisle supporters, but that could backfire on them.

When Patrick scored against United - the first lot of goals that Blues fans had seen him score live since his play-off final leveller at Wembley against Stockport County - he courteously didn't celebrate. If Gibson finds the back of the net on Saturday, you'd put money on him to give it back to the home crowd.

The opposition is going to give him that extra motivation to press a bit harder, make more runs, to prove people wrong, ultimately. That can be a very dangerous player to come up against, especially one of his ability.

Carlisle need to have the same sense of freedom they did against Wigan

The game that sparked this improved run was, fittingly, a loss. United fell to Wigan Athletic in the first round of the FA Cup, but put up a more than valiant effort, playing over 100 minutes with 10 men.

Carlisle's players expressed themselves in that contest with a seeming lack of weight on their shoulders, in comparison to what they had produced in prior games. Whether it was because of the early sending off of Ethan Robson or the League One opposition, it doesn't really matter; they finally looked a bit more relaxed and confident on the pitch.

They are up against a superior opponent again this weekend. Injuries and suspensions make the job even harder, but that absence of tenseness should be present in this upcoming contest in the same way it was against the Latics.