Paul Simpson admits he’s had to change his selection plans for tonight’s Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final.
But the Blues boss suggested a number of senior players will still be involved in the county senior cup final against Workington Reds.
Carlisle have been hit by injuries all the way towards the end of the campaign with the Blues suffering more knocks on Saturday in their defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.
It has seen Simpson’s first-team squad stretched, but he maintained he would name an XI that “respects” the competition this evening (Borough Park, 7pm).
Asked if he would involve senior players against Danny Grainger’s cup holders, the Carlisle boss said: “We might have to.
“Certainly players who didn’t start [on Saturday] will need to play.
“We want to go and treat the competition with respect, we want to go and win it, simple as that.
“We’ll pick a team that hopefully will be able to go and win it.
“I’ve had to change my thinking with some things that have gone on [on Saturday] but hopefully we’ll be able to put a strong enough team out to be able to go and do the competition justice.”
Players who could feature include Jayden Harris, Jack Ellis and Anton Dudik, who were among the substitutes on Saturday.
United’s boss is also likely to choose between goalkeepers Gabe Breeze and Tomas Holy, the latter having started in the previous two rounds.
Simpson can also call on the young players who have been on loan at Workington recently, with Sam Hetherington and Jake Allan able to play against Grainger’s side.
Carlisle are hoping to win the Cumberland Cup for the first time since 2019, with Grainger’s Reds out to retain the county title on home soil.
It is the first time the clubs have met in the final since 2010.
Reds boss Grainger has his own injury issues with Kitt Nelson and Brad Hubbold among those out, and Bobby Carroll a doubt, but Conor Tinnion is set to return.
“We’re down to the bare bones,” Grainger said in a club interview after their NPL Premier defeat to Macclesfield on Saturday.
“But we’re into our last two games and we’re going to have a right go – we’ll try to win the Cumberland Cup and then try and finish on a high in front of our fans.”
It is Grainger’s penultimate game in charge of the west Cumbrians, while Reds players who could face their former club include Dav Symington, Steven Rigg and Ceiran Casson.
Entry tonight is £5 for adults and £2 for concessions, and free for under-16s.
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