MATCH PREVIEW: Olympic effort from Rushall

Not knowing which league you are going to be in from one season to the next has its advantages and disadvantages.

From a supporters’ perspective, it must be brilliant following Rushall – north, south, east and west facing different teams and visiting different venues every year. But imagine trying to plan the logistics of one of the country’s ‘yo-yo’ clubs.

Recruitment, travel, attendances and the playing record are just some of the many factors they will have to consider each and every season.

Since we last crossed swords in the Northern Premier League, Rushall have spent several seasons in the Southern League Premier Division Central followed by a brief stint in National North.

It was from the latter, that they were relegated back to the NPL for this season.

Last season involved fifteen journeys north, six south of Walsall and two to the east. This campaign sees them as the division’s most southerly club with all their trips in a northerly direction.

Like us, they will be the one of the Premier Division’s most travelled clubs this season.

And, to be fair, they have travelled very well this term registering five wins, four draws and just half a dozen defeats. Indeed, they have obtained nineteen points on their travels compared to sixteen at their excellent Dales Lane complex.

They are currently in 15th position and just a few wins away from safety before the wait to learn their fate for next season.

Back in November, we shared six goals on a miserable wet afternoon in the West Midlands after serving up a decent game on an excellent 4G playing surface. It will be anything but on Saturday, though, and, if the game gets the go-ahead, it will be another slog in the Borough Park mud.

Rushall last visited Cumbria in November, 2017 and under Lee Andrews’ leadership we obtained a 4-1 victory.

Billy Barr will have to sift through the usual match-day scenarios of who is and isn’t available with injuries, another suspension and unavailability issues to solve.

Kick-off: 3pm