CARLISLE manager Greg Abbott has warned his players they will have to show the stomach for a fight as they aim to book a place in the FA Cup fourth round this afternoon.

The Blues have made the long journey to Torquay for their third round tie hoping they can give themselves a chance of a money-spinning fixture in the next stage.

But, while Carlisle will go into today’s game at Plainmoor as favourites, Abbott says League Two Torquay will want to prove a point.

“I’m expecting a really tough game because they will want to prove that they are better than League One players and they will want to progress as much as we do,” he said.

“The players know that this won’t be easy.

“The fact is that if we don’t do things properly then we’ll very quickly find that Torquay are the team playing with confidence, so we have stay bright and show the right amount of determination and desire to make sure that we’re the ones asking the questions.

“But, as we’ve said before, the FA Cup is exciting anyway so it’s a game that we can all look forward to.

“We think we’re going there with a good chance of progressing and whatever squad we take we think it goes with a chance of doing just that.

“We want to be in the draw for round four, because that will bring its own bit of excitement with it, so that’s our focus this weekend.”

Abbott wants his side to attack right from the off to prevent the Gulls getting a foothold in the game.

He said: “They do play a very open game of football and that might just suit us with the way that we have been playing of late.

“We’ve started games brightly recently and we want to try and make sure that we do that again.

“There is a feeling if we get in front we tend to play with confidence, so we want to try and make sure that we hammer home the advantage in those periods of the game when we are on top.”

Paul Buckle’s Torquay have found the going tough in League Two of late, with just one win in their last six games.

Their last victory came back in November, but they have played just three games since due to the wintry weather.

They beat Mansfield in the first round and Walsall in the second to earn the right to play Carlisle, who progressed at the expense of Crewe and then non-league Tamworth.

Carlisle have not featured in the fourth round of this competition since 1997 while Torquay’s fourth round appearance the season before last is the only time they have qualified for that stage in the last 20 years.

Carlisle are expected to be without defender Lubo Michalik and striker Mike Grella. The Leeds pair’s loan deals have expired and Abbott is waiting to find out whether he can extend their stays at Brunton Park. But new midfield signing Marco Gbarssin could make his debut. James Chester, who had been on loan from Manchester United, has completed a permanent move to Hull.

Forward Ben Marshall, though, is staying after having his loan from Stoke City extended until the summer. He has also been given permission by his parent club to play today.

Long-term absentee Danny Livesey (groin) is still out of action but Abbott will have striker Jason Price available now he has returned from his loan spell at Bradford City.

Torquay defender Guy Branston is the Gulls’ only injury doubt ahead of the tie.

Branston missed Torquay’s defeat against Oxford on Monday due to a hamstring problem and if he is not fit to return, Chris Robertson will continue to deputise in central defence alongside Mark Ellis.

Otherwise, Buckle has a fully-fit squad to choose from.