Carlisle United have carved out a steady course for promotion to League One under the management of Keith Curle.

The 53-year-old has reversed the fortunes of the club since arriving in 2014, guiding them clear of relegation in his first full term before providing security in his second season.

This season the Cumbrians have been outstanding throughout, including their strong start to the campaign when they went on a 15-match unbeaten run, putting them in the mix for the fourth-tier crown from the off.

Carlisle’s run was ended in a 2-0 defeat to Newport County, which could have derailed their push out of League Two, but Curle has managed to keep his side on track.

As a result of their consistent form, should you Bet on Football with Paddy Power there are odds of 4/7 to back Carlisle to be promoted to the third tier of English football.

The club hold a narrow lead over fourth-place Luton Town just outside the automatic promotion places, which means that they will need to continue their strong displays until the bitter end of the campaign.

Carlisle were a solid outfit last season and managed to put memories of their narrow escape from relegation the previous term with a 10th-place finish.

Curle’s men were ultimately slightly off the pace for a spot in the playoffs due to a run of inconsistent form, which allowed AFC Wimbledon to coast into seventh place and then win promotion to League One after winning the playoff final.

This term Curle’s men began to show the resilience that evaded them down the stretch, starting the term with an unbeaten run of 15 matches.

However, their problem in the first two months of the campaign was the fact they were unable to turn draws into wins.

Carlisle played out seven stalemates in their opening 10 games, and although they were resolute their form was unable to push them towards the automatic promotion places.

An outstanding run in October propelled them into the top three, winning all five of their matches in the month, including a five-goal thriller at Brunton Park against Hartlepool United. Although Newport ended their run, Curle’s men put together another strong set of results to briefly top the division at the end of November.

Back-to-back defeats at the turn of the year and a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Blackpool threatened to knock them off course, but the club have remained on song thus far.

Charlie Wyke’s move to Bradford could be an issue down the stretch as the striker was the club’s leading goalscorer with 14 strikes this term.

The Cumbrians have scored the second highest amount of goals in League Two and will need to maintain their rate to ensure they get over the line come the end of term.

Defensively, Curle’s men are in the middle of the pack, keeping just five clean sheets this season.

They will need to improve to account for Wyke’s departure as their ability to find the net at the other end of the pitch may regress slightly.

As a result, their propensity to keep the goals out, especially at Brunton Park, will have to be flawless in the final throws of the campaign.