Penrith will face a Northallerton side tomorrow desperately fighting against relegation from the Northern League’s Division One.
They have played more games than all those around them and are only three points better off than second-bottom Whickham with West Allotment Celtic five points further back and starting to look doomed.
Manager Jim Nichols has a few absentees as he looks to build on last Friday’s 3-0 win over Carlisle City in the north Cumbrian derby.
Matty Bell is suspended; Matty Coombe is out for the season after an operation; Jamie Hodgson has retuned to Carlisle United after his loan spell ended while Alex Potts picked-up a bad hamstring injury in the recent Cup win at Cleator Moor.
On top of all those Robbie Ivison also misses out after he and his wife celebrated the birth of a baby this week.
Penrith are solid mid-table but Nichols is looking to give them a top half finish with a big push over the remaining games.
Carlisle City face another Cumbrian derby tomorrow, this time at Kendal Town after last week’s disappointing home defeat to Penrith.
They subsequently lost 2-1 at lowly Whickham in mid-week and with limited matches since the new year are badly short of matches, momentum and confidence.
Kendal will be looking to get back to winning ways after two setbacks – a 2-1 defeat at West Auckland and 2-2 midweek draw at Crook Town, both after leading 1-0 at the break.
Having James Bailey back after suspension is a big lift for them and with the battle for top five places intensifying – with really just three to play for – it’s important to keep winning, especially their home games.
In the West Lancashire League Cleator Moor Celtic’s game at Hurst Green is already subject to a pitch inspection later this afternoon.
Celtic boss Gareth Agnew expects to have two senior players back after missing last week’s match but there’s still a good number of youngsters in the 15 to travel if game gets the go ahead.
Rhys Little’s return, adding physical presence, will be a massive boost but skipper Callum Jackman pulled up in training last night and is a likely absentee.
Whitehaven are also on the road, travelling to second in the table Lostock St Gerard’s and again manager Brian Dawson has missing personnel.
“We have a few key senior absentees in George Frampton, Mal Norford and Kian Goulding so will gain be travelling with a young group,” said Dawson.
Millom are in knockout action with an attractive third round Richardson Cup-tie at home to Haslingden St Mary’s while Milnthorpe Corinthians travel to Ulverston Rangers in the first round of the President’s Cup.
The majority of clubs in the West Lancashire League have been hit by a number of postponements and the league has issued an update on completing the season’s fixture list.
Will there be fixtures on Bank Holiday Monday April 6? There are scheduled fixtures across most or all the divisions that day. There are some clubs still with 13, 14 and 15 games to play so it is a case of needs must.
Some clubs will have to play Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday at some point but the league says it will try to keep midweek fixtures as local as possible.
The season was due to finish on April 25 but the league is now planning on Saturday May 2 as being the final weekend of the season for many.
That allows another midweek (April 28/29) to get outstanding games played if required.
In the NW Counties Division One North Holker Old Boys play tonight when they travel to AFC Blackpool who are two points behind the South Cumbrians and from two more games.
Windscale could make considerable progress up the Wearside League with a home win over Brandon United tomorrow – such is the congestion in the Premier Division table.
Manager Stephen Fawcett said: “Dan Morgan and Lewis Selkirk miss out through work while Ray Sempill is away for the weekend, but other than that we’ve 17 to pick from.”
