Mark Hughes says the “physicality” of Georgie Kelly and Matt Dennis can give Carlisle United a positive attacking combination.
The duo teamed up as the Blues fought back to defeat Newport County 3-2 on Saturday.
Kelly broke his duck with two goals while substitute Dennis helped United apply further pressure on the visiting rearguard.
Head coach Hughes admitted their strength was a much-needed asset in the Brunton Park victory.
“They've got that physicality, which in some areas of the pitch we haven't got,” said Hughes.
“I felt Georgie's link-up play and his ability to retain the ball for us enabled us to get up the pitch.
“And Matty will use his strength and his power just to get in good situations and create things himself, so the combination was good.”
Hughes had intended to pair Kelly with Dennis in last Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Chesterfield, but a hamstring injury to Dennis in the warm-up dashed those plans.
Dennis, though, was fit enough to be on the bench on Saturday and he came on early in the second half as United came from behind, the Blues now eight points from League Two safety with five games left.
“I got to half-time and I felt I'd give it five more minutes in terms of the shape that we were in,” said Hughes.
“I made a change, we went to a diamond, it just helped us a little bit, [but] we needed just to get another striker on and we needed a little bit more pressure at the top end of the pitch.
Kelly was United's two-goal hero with his first goals since his move from Rotherham in February 2024 (Image: Ben Holmes)
“We pushed Wearney [Stephen Wearne], at the top of the diamond, forward a little bit higher. We tucked in a little bit as well, so when they cleared the lines, we were a bit closer to the ball as they were dropping and we picked up a lot of good balls in the middle of the park.
“So that change helped us, I think.”
Kelly, meanwhile, completed 90 minutes for only the second time in his Carlisle career.
His goals were the 28-year-old’s first since November 2023, when he netted for previous club Rotherham United against QPR in the Championship.
“I was expecting that at some point he would have emptied his tank and I would have had to take him off,” said Hughes of the striker who has endured an injury-plagued time with Carlisle since his move in February 2024.
“But I had to make a decision with the last substitutions – we only had one more opportunity, and I was reminded he's centre-forward when he scored two goals…you don't take centre-forward off on a hat-trick. So I kept him on.
“Just to break that [90-minute] barrier, it's really important for him psychologically.”
