"The other night I was way below my standard, but I can put it down to being one of those games. As soon as I found out I was starting, I thought 'I've got to repay him' because he kept faith with me.
"The thought that he would drop me had crossed my mind a few times because I'd been nowhere near the performance I was capable of, but he had a word with me, said I wasn't good enough on Monday and that I needed to up it."
Howson brought the aggregate score level by driving home a left-footed volley in the 10th minute and he took his second chance moments before the final whistle after Carlisle's tiring defenders gave him space to shoot on the edge of the box.