Carlisle City are the first of Cumbria’s trio of Northern League clubs in action this weekend.
Dan Kirkup takes his side to West Auckland tonight full of confidence after two good League wins on the spin in which he scored the final goal in each one.
Brought on as a substitute late on he scored the winner at Northallerton and on Saturday bagged the final goal in a 4-2 home win over Easington Colliery.
City should have played in mid-week but their Brooks Mileson League Cup-tie at home to Boldon was postponed.
The Sky Blues are up to 10th in the table but seven points, from a game more, behind West Auckland who are in the final play-off position.
Arran Fitzpatrick is on a PFA trial in America while Romeo Park has a hamstring problem, otherwise City should be at full strength.
Kendal Town have had an encouraging week ahead of their massive game tomorrow at second-in-the-table Shildon.
The Mintcakes enjoyed a fine 4-0 win at Horden, who are on the fringe of the play-offs, before giving their Under-23s and Under-18s a run-out in a 5-2 mid-week win in the League Cup.
Shildon are second in the table, a point better-off than Kendal but with a game in hand. They trail leaders Guisborough by six points but also have a game in hand.
Penrith are also away at Newcastle Blue Star which is 12th in the league hosting the 11th.
The aim for manager Jim Nichols and his troops over the second half of the season is to turn draws into wins.
They are the Northern League draw specialists with nine stalemates in their opening 20 fixtures.
Only centre-half Kevin McKenna is missing tomorrow as Penrith look to continue as the league’s joint top goal-scorers
In the North West Counties League Holker Old Boys picked up a good point in mid-week at Bacup Borough.
Jamie Hodgson had given Holker an eighth minute lead but Kyle Siddle levelled right after half-time and it stayed that way to the end.
Holker are at home to Daisy Hill tomorrow and although the sides are level on points, the south Cumbrians have four games in hand.
In fact the ninth-placed Old Boys have matches in hand of all the clubs ahead of them except one.
Brian Dawson doesn’t take over as manager at Whitehaven until the new year but he will be desperate for his side to end their losing run tomorrow in a key game at the County Ground.
Bottom of the West Lancashire Premier Division with just one win in 15 games they entertain Coppull United, a place and a point above them, and they have one win in 18 games.
Clearly a vital game for both clubs and if they can get off the foot of the table with a win it will give Dawson and Whitehaven something to build on in the weeks ahead.
Cleator Moor Celtic are also at home against CMB, last season’s runners-up who haven’t been as successful this time round.
The visitors sit 11th, one place and three points behind the West Cumbrians but two games in hand.
Millom will be itching to get back into action after two successive postponements but they face the toughest test of all.
They travel to unbeaten leaders Eagley who have 14 wins and three draws so far from their 17 games.
Milnthorpe Corinthians have improved nicely after a change of management and influx of new players and they are out of the bottom two after a wretched start to the season.
They are on the road to Burscough Richmond who have lost four at home, picking up three wins and a draw.
In the Wearside League Windscale make the trip to Hartlepool Pool Youth who are a point behind the Atoms in the table but from two more games.
Windscale bring in Workington Reds Under-18s keeper Joe Rumney to stand in for regular keeper Levi McAdam who continues to be on the injured list.
Jack Wordsworth, Andrew Begbie and Aiden Kegg all miss through personal commitments.
Daniel Morgan, Ryan Fitzwilliam and Joe Atkinson all miss out through work but Jayden Fulton is available because his other club, Workington Reds, don’t have a game in the Junior Premier League.
Owen Woodburn and Harry Hodgson both return from injury.
