It goes without saying that Workington Reds need a win tomorrow when they entertain Whitby Town at Borough Park.
Three successive defeats have seen Mark Fell’s men slip to fifth bottom, one point above the drop zone in which three of the current occupants have games in hand.
Reds have lost to the two bottom sides Blyth and Matlock while the mid-week defeat to Bamber Bridge saw them leapfrog the West Cumbrians.
Against Bamber Bridge Reds were without Steven Rigg, Jamie Allen and Cieran Casson – all to injuries – and only Rigg has a chance of being back for tomorrow.
Manager Fell admitted that the first 45 minutes was the worst performance of any team under his management, and it cost them.
Reds certainly can’t afford to lose again and be dragged into a relegation scrap this early in the campaign, and it won’t have gone unnoticed that Whitby won 6-2 at Hebburn on Tuesday night!
Carlisle City
Carlisle City have a welcome break, giving some lads chance to recover from knocks and injuries, before they resume Northern League action on Tuesday with a good test at home against West Auckland.
City have had the free Saturday because of their progress in the Vase last season and they don’t need to contest it at this stage but Northern League rivals Penrith and Kendal Town do have Vase dates tomorrow.
Penrith
Penrith are at home to Padiham from the North West Counties League while Kendal travel to play Horden Community Welfare, a leading side in Northern League Division Two.
Padiham had a good 5-3 win in mid-week at home to Charnock Richard, the side whose amazing last week run of results cost Kendal Town a play-off place last season.
That moved them to 14th in the table with four wins, five draws and three defeats.
Penrith boss Darren Edmondson is still looking for consistency from his side, although a recurring list of injuries have repeatedly affected team selection.
Kendal Town
Kendal’s winning run in the Northern League ended at Whitley Bay on Saturday and Horden represent dangerous opponents when they go on a recovery mission.
They haven’t played since last Friday when they won 2-0 at Redcar Town and are second in Division Two, five points behind the leaders Esh Winning with two games in hand and only one defeat on their League record.
Windscale
In the Wearside League Windscale suffered their worst defeat for a while, losing 8-0 at leaders Easington Lane which checked their progress in the Premier Division as they now occupy fourth place.
Manager Stephen Fawcett is asking for a big response tomorrow when the Atoms are at home to Norton and Stockton Ancient Youths who are two points behind them but with a game in hand.
Whitehaven & Cleator Moor Celtic
Whitehaven travel to Blackpool Wren Rovers in the West Lancashire League and it’s likely that new manager Carl Short will have spoken to his opposite number at Cleator Moor Celtic, Gareth Agnew.
The pair are good mates and Celtic were there last week, losing 3-0 with two of the goals coming in the last five minutes.
Short got his first win as manager two weeks ago and they had no game last Saturday so will be hoping to follow up against Rovers.
Celtic are also on the road to Poulton, a side they beat at home last month, coming from behind to win 2-1 and Agnew is looking to complete the double.
