Having seen last weekend’s trip to Aldershot Town postponed, the Blues will resume their National League campaign on home soil on Saturday.
The fifth-placed Blues will do so against a 17th-placed visiting side whose work-rate and unity has impressed Hughes, who made a personal check on Altrincham in their 3-1 win over Boreham Wood last Saturday.
That came after a waterlogged pitch put paid to United’s own game. Since then, Hughes said: “There’s a number of things we’ve looked at.
“We've just been trying to get a body of work into the guys just to make sure that energy in the group is really strong, and that's been very evident this week.
“I think everybody was really looking forward to the Aldershot game and everybody was disappointed that we weren't able to get that on.
“But it just means that anticipation of the next game becomes even higher so we're just really looking forward to getting back out on Brunton Park and winning a football match again.”
Carlisle will tomorrow attempt to reduce the growing gap between the Blues and the leading sides in the fifth tier.
They must overcome Neil Gibson’s Alty who have shown signs of improvement recently, ending a long losing run with a 1-1 draw at promotion-chasing Forest Green Rovers before overturning another high-flier in Boreham Wood.
Ex-Wealdstone boss Gibson has been in charge of the visitors since November after replacing the long-serving Phil Parkinson.
On Altrincham, Hughes said: “They're hard-working, they're organised, they've got a good shape about them and they work hard to make the shape work, so those are good elements to have.
Regan Linney was United's matchwinner against his former club when Carlisle faced Altrincham in September (Image: Richard Parkes)
“They've got a goal threat as well, and at the top end of the pitch they work exceptionally hard to get on the end of things.
“I was impressed with them. On the day they were better, much better than Boreham Wood were on the day, it was fair to say, so credit to them.
“They seem to be working hard for each other and that's half the battle sometimes.”
The game will see United duo Regan Linney and Chris Conn-Clarke come up against their former club. Linney hit the winner for Carlisle when the Blues won 2-1 at Altrincham in September.
On the factor of former players taking on their old club, Hughes said: “That can help.
“Regan had a good afternoon [in September], scoring a goal and winning the game as well.
“You always like to do well when you've left a club. It doesn't matter what the circumstance – whether you leave under a cloud or if you leave with handshakes all round it's always nice to be able to show that you're progressing in your career and you're still doing well, even when you leave a good club which Altrincham undoubtedly is.”
Another former Altrincham man in the United contingent is head of football operations Marc Tierney, who joined the Blues last summer from the J.Davidson Stadium club, where he had been director of football.
Among Hughes’ selection decisions this weekend will be whether to hand left-back Ryan Galvin his first home start.
The January signing started in the 3-3 draw at Solihull Moors before being used as a substitute in the 3-0 defeat to York City.
On Galvin’s progress, Hughes said: “He’s looking good.
“He'd tell you himself that he probably needs a bit more to his fitness level, but he's showing up in training really well.
“He’s training exceptionally well, actually, and getting fitter every day, so the extra days off this week have probably helped him in that.”
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