Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson has provided an injury update ahead of Carlisle’s clash with Cheltenham, announcing the return of three players.
In what has to be one of the most important games at the bottom of the League One table this season, 21st placed Carlisle host bottom of the table Cheltenham Town.
Both sides have been in poor form as of late with Carlisle picking up just two points from their last five matches and Cheltenham picking up a more respectable five points during that spell, but are winless in their last three.
The match-up has a real six-pointer feeling about it, a win for Carlisle could see them move out of the relegation places for the first time in over a month, as for Cheltenham, a win could move them off the foot of the table.
Having announced the signing of Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong on Monday, it was already a positive week for Blues fans, especially as Armstrong has been allowed to already train with his new club.
However manager Paul Simpson has brought even more positive news, this time with an injury update which sees three key players all available for selection for tomorrow’s game.
Both Paul Huntington and Taylor Charters, who have both had long lay-offs with injury are expected to be in the squad tomorrow. Huntington, the club captain, started each of the Blues first 10 League One games, but has only appeared once since September, where he would aggravate a previous calf injury.
As for Charters, he has not been seen in the squad since August and is expected to be on the bench for the Cumbrians on Saturday. His return will provide some much needed cover for Dylan McGeouch, who was the only fit central-midfielder last week as well as Owen Moxon who himself is returning from a slight injury.
Moxon missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Northampton with a hip injury but after a good week of training, should be in the starting lineup come Saturday.
Simpson seemed delighted with the progress that all three had made in his pre-match interview, saying:
“They’ve all came though ok and all three of them are available for the weekend, which is great news.
“Add Jack Ellis to that who was available last weekend, we’re starting to get a few more bodies into the group, that can only stand us in good stead for the Christmas games.”
“Really pleased about that, pleased about how Paul (Huntington) and Taylor (Charters) have both carried on with their recovery, they’ve trained the full week. I’m also delighted that Owen (Moxon) has shown a good reaction to the injection that he had last week.”
There couldn’t be a much better time for Simpson to have three more players at his disposal, with the manager insisting that there will be plenty of rotation over the Christmas period.
“This isn’t me complaining about these games because I’m delighted to be involved in football but with the games on the 23rd, 26th 29th (December) and 1st (January), we are going to have to just rotate it a little bit at times to make sure we get everybody through it.
“That will obviously depend on performances, depend on fatigue levels after the game, so the fact that we’ve got some options is really pleasing for me as the manager.”
Writer’s View
With a congested fixture schedule, which sees four games in the next 10 days, this will very much be welcomed news to Carlisle fans. It is a great boost ahead of what is a must-win game at home against Cheltenham, one in which could see them climb out of the relegation zone.
Although it is most likely that only Moxon will start of the three, both Charters and Huntington provide a huge boost to the dressing room, especially the experienced Huntington. If able to see off Cheltenham’s challenge, the Blues might be able to put a good run together over what is one of the easier Christmas fixture lists of the teams in League One.
