Penrith manager Darren Edmondson hasn’t the biggest squad to work with – and knows his group numbers are going to be fully tested over the next week.
The Bonnyblues have three games to play in the Northern League Division One over the next six days, starting tomorrow at North Shields.
“I would naturally like to move things around a bit about over the three games but we’ve had a few absentees recently and it might not be as easy to do, but we’ll see,” said Edmondson.
After travelling to North Shields they host Whickham on Monday night and then travel to West Auckland on Friday, but are in good heart after Tuesday’s 3-1 home win over Seaham Red Star.
Northern League rivals Carlisle City gave strugglers Sunderland RCA two goals start on Tuesday but came back to win 4-2.
They are up to fourth in the table and Guisborough will be tough hosts tomorrow but City manager Jim Nichols is looking for a strong finish to the season.
“We are up there on merit and there is a fair way to go with a few teams in contention. It’s going to be an exciting finish to the season and we don’t want to peter out like we did last year,” said Nichols.
In North West Counties Premier Division there’s another opportunity for Kendal Town to re-ignite their play-off challenge.
A good 5-0 win at Longridge a fortnight ago was their first victory of 2024, but that was followed by a late defeat to Chadderton in the Macron Cup quarter final.
Manager Jimmy Marshall was gutted by the result but happy enough by the performance which he felt was good enough to get the Mintcakes through.
Tomorrow they host the Isle of Man, which will probably invoke memories of the January trip to the island when bad weather kept most of the travelling party in situ for a few days.
A late goal conceded, which seems to have been a regular occurrence for Kendal this season, meant they only managed a 1-1 draw.
In First Division North Holker Old Boys are just outside the play-off places but face a tough trip tomorrow to leaders FC St. Helens who have only lost three times all season.
In the West Lancashire League Premier Division both west Cumbrian clubs have away fixtures.
Whitehaven, beaten 1-0 at home last week by second-in-the-table Thornton Cleveleys, are at Coppull who are two places and nine points behind them – but do have seven games in hand.
Cleator Moor Celtic felt frustrated last week when they led 8-0 at half-time against struggling Sly with Hest only for the game to be called off on safety grounds in horrible weather conditions.
They will be in the mood to make amends when they travel to Turton who are third bottom and have only won two games all season.
In the Wearside League Wearside’s progress has been handicapped by a lengthy and growing injury list.
They are sixth and tomorrow visit fourth-placed Darlington Town who are six points better-off than a game less.
