By Amanda Little

Last updated 12:59, Thursday, 04 September 2008

Danny Livesey has vowed that the man who destroyed Carlisle United’s promotion dream won’t get the better of them again on Saturday.

Dougie Freedman

The Blues central defender Livesey reckons he’s in for a tough shift shackling Southend new-boy Dougie Freedman in Saturday’s Brunton Park clash.

Freedman, who signed a two-year deal with Southend on Monday, tormented Carlisle last season while he was on loan at Leeds United from Crystal Palace.

He scored twice against the Cumbrians in a 3-2 win in April and then haunted them again in the League One play-offs, scoring a late goal for Leeds in Carlisle’s 2-1 win at Elland Road which changed the course of the tie.

Freedman – a one-time transfer target of former Carlisle boss Neil McDonald – is set for his Southend debut at Brunton Park and Livesey has pin-pointed the 34-year-old Glaswegian striker as the dangerman.

Livesey said: “He is a very good player and very experienced and it is another challenge we have to face as a team and try to stop him. He’s sharp and fit and played very well in the play-offs.

“I’m sure he will be out to impress but so too are me and Peter Murphy.

“He tends to swap which side he plays on so we will both have to deal with him if the manager sticks with the same team.”

Carlisle players still have unhappy memories of the last time Southend were visitors to Brunton Park in April.

The Blues felt they were in the driving seat with the match finely poised at 1-1, but right-back David Raven’s controversial 67th minute red card for a foul on Nicky Bailey turned the game and Southend hit a last-gasp winner.

Livesey said: “We had the upper-hand at 1-1 and then David Raven got sent off. It proved very costly.

“We needed that one win at the end of the season and it would have seen us home with promotion.

“It’s all about putting last season to bed now, and moving on.

“It’s been great to get off to a good start – and now we’ve just got to carry it on.

“It’s no good looking back and saying how well we did in August, we’ve got to pick up points consistently.”