MATCH PREVIEW: Buoyant City will be a tougher nut to crack 

After three home games in eight days, Reds will start a sequence of five away matches at Carlisle City as the next stage of their pre-season schedule unfolds. 

They travel to the Three Rivers HSC Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm) to face a team that cannot stop winning.  City ended last term in a blaze of glory, storming to the Northern League Second Division title and completing a double by lifting the Cumberland Cup. 

They have maintained the winning habit in this summer’s pre-season matches, recording comfortable victories at Lochmaben (6-0) and over Birtley Town (5-3) and Cleator Moor Celtic (3-1) on home soil. 

Jim Nichols’ team start their Northern League campaign against Sunderland RCA at the end of the month and make a welcome return to the FA Cup, after forty-two long years, in early August.  

Reds have beaten the Sky Blues regularly in pre-season action since 2015 – six wins from six encounters over the last seven summers – but that record will count for nothing as they attempt to burst City’s bubble in what should be a decent game, friendly or not! 

Of more significance is the most recent meeting between the two sides, a Cumberland Cup tie at Gillford Park which City deservedly won thanks to a couple of Jordan Palmer goals back in January. 

That will be more of a guideline than the run of wins we have recorded on our summer visits to the city. 

Danny Grainger will select from a similar squad to Saturday and hope the good show against Paul Simpson’s side can be carried into battle versus Josh Simpson & Co.   

Admission is a very reasonable £3 and £2 with food and refreshments available. 

Postcode: CA1 3AF