Struggle hurts us all - Bridges

Bridges has denied accusations of disharmony in the Carlisle team

Carlisle United striker Michael Bridges has denied accusations that the club's loan players have not shown enough fight in their bid to avoid relegation.

The Cumbrians currently lie 19th in League One following Tuesday night's 2-1 home defeat by Hereford.

And Bridges told BBC Radio Cumbria: "There has got to be that same desire in everybody, it is pride.

"It hurts, it means something. Everybody is together in there, they are disheartened."

Bridges, who scored the Cumbrians' consolation against the Bulls, is on a season-long loan from Hull City.

We don't know at this moment in time what to do to turn it round

Michael Bridges

He added: "We are shattered, we know that we have let ourselves down and we know that we have let the fans down.

"Hereford came here and they are second bottom of the league, so you expect to beat them and you should beat them."

The former Leeds and Sunderland striker has also defended accusations of disharmony between players on the pitch.

"Arguing on the pitch comes in the game, that is just frustration creeping into the game, you see that in every league." he said.

"In the dressing-room though everything is spot on, everybody is behind it. Nobody is sneaking off and saying stuff this, everybody is there (together), don't worry about that."

Bridges has also defended his fellow strikers after a desperate run of form in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old has scored twice in 10 games, Scott Dobie has scored just once in 24 games, Joe Anyinsah has found the net three times in 14 matches, while while top scorer Danny Graham has now gone eleven games without a goal.

"It's a confidence thing with the strikers." he said. "Danny at the start of the season was hitting them from anywhere and they were flying in.

"If you are not scoring then it plays on your mind and the time to be critical of strikers is when you are not getting chances.

"If you are getting chances and you are missing then you hold your hands up, chances are going to come and the goals will come back, Danny is a great player and he will come back."

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Bridges also admitted he is at a loss to find a solution to the team's poor form that has brought just one win in their last nine matches.

"We don't know at this moment in time what to do to turn it round," he said.

"We are still backing Dennis Booth and the gaffer (Greg Abbott) because we are training hard and we are working hard."

"It will come, we are up for it. We know that we are in a dogfight and it's not going to be pretty for the next seven games and it is going to take a bit of blood and guts."