Workington Reds’ glamour game at Macclesfield in a fortnight is off because of their progress in the FA Trophy.
The two should have matched up on October in potentially the NPL West’s match of the day but the title favourites will have another FA Trophy date.
They conceded an early goal against Widnes on Saturday but came back to win 5-1 and that sets up another home tie on Oct 8 against Bamber Bridge.
Workington, however, won’t be looking to fix up a game and will take the free week-end on offer as they give players longer to recover from their injuries.
Manager Danny Grainger said: “We have one or two players feeling little niggles match to match so a break will help them.
“We also have lads like Ben Hughes, Bobby Carroll and Greg McCarragher still out with injuries so I think a weekend off won’t harm us.”
Before then, though, they do have what looks like a tough home game against second-in-the-table Leek Town who are level on points with the Cumbrians but have a better goal difference.
Grainger was missing both Cieran Casson and Jordan Palmer from his squad for Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Skelmersdale, while centre-forward Lewis Reilly was a late withdrawal after feeling a hamstring tighten in the early warm-up.
“We should have those back in contention for the Leek game although it still might be a bit too soon for the three lads who have had longer on the sidelines,” said Grainger.
The Reds boss saw his squad reduced last week with the departure of James Hooper to Runcorn Linnets but he has been talking to a couple of clubs about possible loan deals while he is down on numbers.
New assistant manager Terry Mitchell – who made his debut in the after-match interviews on Saturday – could also provide some suggestions from his experience of non-league football in his native North East.
Mitchell has been in the dug-out for three games now but he actually went to watch Reds when they played at South Shields in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.
“It was before I had any inclination of the assistant’s job at Workington and it was a good-looking fixture to go and watch.
“I was very impressed. In fact I told quite a few people afterwards that Workington were one of the best footballing sides I had seen at that level for a number of years.
“You can imagine how pleased I felt when I got the call from Danny. I think it’s fair to say that we are singing off the same hymn sheet as far as how to play the game is concerned,” he said.
Mitchell has worked with Blyth Spartans, Consett, Gateshead, Stockport and West Allotment Celtic in a long career in the non-League game as well as youth football at Newcastle United.
