Carlisle City drew 2-2 at home to Heaton Stannington in their second pre-season friendly.
Manager Dan Kirkup, described it as a pleasing performance, but said he was still looking for new players to step-up his Northern League challenge.
One of the new recruits has been announced as Romeo Park, 18, a young forward just released by Carlisle United.
Park has been on trial with Workington Reds, and is reported to have been offered a deal but has decided that he wants to build himself up with more expected game time with City.
It was a good effort from City against a side who were promoted last season from the Northern League into the NPL.
New City boss Kirkup said: “I thought it was a pleasing performance, building on the game at Workington on Tuesday.
“Dean Nicholson has his side well organised. They are a big, physical side and every player knows his job.
“We are starting to play the way I want, although clearly we do need some additions. The centre of the defence is very important in the Northern League as there are a lot of headed clearances to be made.
“I am working on new arrivals and after confirming Romeo’s signing I hope that I might have a defender in this week.
“Callum Birdsall was unplayable at times for us and got his goal, while it was great that young Riley Boertien got his first senior goal.”
It was 18-year-old Boertien who gave City the lead after only 11 minutes when he headed home a Birdsall cross.
The game was end-to-end and the visitors levelled after 24 minutes but right on the stroke of half time Birdsall hit a stunning second goal for City.
A minute after the restart Heaton Stannington levelled with a back-post header from a corner.
The visitors did have one effort cleared off the line but overall a draw was probably a fair result for what proved to be a competitive and useful friendly.
City are next in action on Saturday when they are at home to a Creetown side who just missed out on promotion to the Lowland League last season.
“By all accounts they are a good team and yesterday they beat Grentna of the Lowland League 4-0,” said Kirkup.
