Take a break

There will be no pre-season action this weekend with the first team squad given ‘a few days off’ after an intensive schedule so far.

They have completed ten sessions to date with the two toughest last Monday and Wednesday when the emphasis was on running, more running and…..even more running.

In addition, they have played three matches, using 32 different players, with the squad evolving and gradually taking shape.

In an ideal world, manager Darren Edmondson said he would like to have a flexible squad of 22 – a duplicate for each position – but, more realistically, he may have to work with the eighteen or nineteen he has at present.

Reds will resume the pre-season work on Tuesday with a visit to Cleator Moor Celtic with further games against Heaton Stannington (away), Whitehaven (away) and Carlisle United (home) arranged, prior to the season opener versus Whitby Town (at Borough Park) on 9 August.

Several members of the Youth Squad and the newly formed U23s have been involved with the first team but, simultaneously, have been working hard on their own programme.

Earlier this week, they completed a Hyrox cross-fit session provided by PEAK FITNESS where the players tackled a whole different scale of fitness routines. It was very demanding and different to the normal work but all came through with flying colours.