Abbott: Spurs can expect a battle

Published Sep. 25, 2012 3:15 p.m. ET

foxsports

Carlisle manager Greg Abbott has warned Tottenham to be on their guard when they visit Brunton Park for their Capital One Cup third-round tie.

The Cumbrians, who will be roared on by their biggest crowd of the season, are unbeaten in their last five matches and won 2-1 at Coventry last weekend to climb within two points of the top six in npower League One.

Abbott's side knocked out Ipswich in the previous round thanks to a last-minute equaliser and an extra-time winner courtesy of teenage substitutes Mark Beck and David Symington.

"Games like this are what football is all about," Abbott said. "We go into it as underdogs, but we also go into it to give a good account of ourselves.

"You look at their squad and there's quality right through it, but we have to get at them and show them that we aren't going to roll over.

"We're going to have a large home support and we're going out there to do what we can to cause an upset. Tottenham will have to do things properly because that's certainly what we intend to."

Mark Robins takes his newly-acquired Coventry side to Arsenal keen to put in a much-needed confidence-boosting display.

As well as struggling financially, the Sky Blues are enduring a difficult time on the pitch having failed to win any of their opening eight matches in League One - a division they find themselves in for the first time since 1964.

Former Rotherham and Barnsley boss Robins was appointed last Wednesday and despite losing his first match at home to Carlisle at the weekend, he insists his first impressions are of a "magnificent" club.

"It's a club that were in the top flight when I was growing up and one that wouldn't be out of place in the top flight should it return there, should we make sure the building blocks are in place. It's a top, top club," Robins said.

"Don't get me wrong, it's a long way off, don't hold me to a timescale. But I think this is one of the clubs that could do it.

"You look at the Norwich's and Southampton's over the last couple of years, they've done particularly well and ended up with back-to-back promotions. There's plenty of work to do, it's a big job. It's a job I'm relishing."

Doncaster manager Dean Saunders could make several changes to his starting line-up in his bid to upset Norwich at Carrow Road, with striker Billy Paynter hoping to play a part.

Paynter has missed the last three matches due to a calf injury and may be handed a late fitness test.

Saunders' side hit back to force a 1-1 home draw with Stevenage on Saturday and were given much-needed impetus by substitutes James Harper, Iain Hume and teenager James Husband.

All three players are pushing for a place in the side, while defender Shelton Martis is back in contention following a long-term calf injury.

Midfielder Martin Woods and Paul Keegan are both expected to be fit after sustaining knocks on Saturday.

A last-minute goal by David Syers in the second round clinched Rovers a surprise 3-2 win over Hull in the previous round.