Workington Reds take a welcome break from NPL Premier Division action tomorrow to host old friends Hyde United in the FA Trophy.
However rain in West Cumbria yesterday and more overnight means there will be a pitch inspection this morning.
Reds have racked up three successive League victories after a slow start to the campaign – but have suffered a series of injury setbacks.
Manager Danny Grainger will welcome the opportunity to give certain players recovery time as he sends his side back out into action on Tuesday night at Warrington Rylands.
That’s a big game for the Reds as Rylands are third in the table, just two points better off than the Cumbrians but from a game fewer.
Statistically Reds are in a better position now than they were this time last season when they went on to gain promotion.
In 2022/23 Reds collected 17 points from the opening ten games and stood seventh in the NPL West Division table.
At this present moment in NPL Premier the Reds have 18 points from the same number of games and lie sixth.
Interestingly two of the sides ahead of them leaders Radcliffe and Ilkeston have inflicted on Reds their worst defeats of the season so far – 4-1 and 6-1 respectively.
By contrast second-in-the table Ashton United were thumped 5-0 at Borough Park in the opening game of the season.
Reds have dates with the other two teams in the top five this month – Warrington Rylands (away) on Tuesday and Marine (away) on October 28.
The most encouraging aspect of Reds climb up the table is that they have done it despite being without players like Bobby Carroll and Lewis Riley, as well as Aidy Roxburgh while other senior players have missed games as they have to contend with age-related wear and tear.
The news that Grainger has landed his long-term target Jamie Devitt to boost the squad, while acquiring a young man from Preston (Kitt Nelson) who looks as though he could provide similar input as Kai Nugent last season, are significant.
Devitt won’t be ready yet to play a significant amount of game time, but is likely to be given a gradual introduction to combat any injury issues.
Saturday’s opponents Hyde are five places below Reds in the table but only two points adrift, emphasising the increasingly congested table below the play-off places.
The Tigers had a game in mid-week when they won 2-1 at Atherton Collieries on Tuesday with two goals from Jack Redshaw.
Their newest recruit Nyal Bell who came on as a sub at Atherton, was a key component in helping former manager, Jim Gannon, secure Stockport County’s return to the National League and at 26 still has a lot to offer.
Bell has had loan spells at Kidderminster, Gateshead and Altrincham in the past and is working his way back from a serious injury suffered at Southport last season.
*Reds lost 3-0 at York City in the FA Youth Cup but won high praise from manager Craig Johnston for their performance against a more experienced side.
