After collecting four points from two games over Easter, the Cumbrians have closed to just two points away from safety, the closest they have got to the chasing pack since beginning their brilliant run of form on December 20. Since then, when they were 15 points adrift at the bottom and 16 shy of safety, they have collected an impressive 36 points in 21 games. But the visit of Lincoln, who are unbeaten in nine games, will not be easy. The Cumbrians will be hoping to win and see both York, who are at home to Cheltenham and Rochdale, who host Leyton Orient, take a tumble. Scunthorpe, who are on 46 points and have claimed just 2 points in their last eight games, face a tricky visit to third-placed Huddersfield Town. United learned this week that they are unlikely to have Paul Raven back in defence this season. He has suffered a setback in his recovery from injury and so there could be a massive hole at the heart of Carlisle's defence as stopper Kevin Gray is facing suspension from next Saturday unless an appeal against his red card at Leyton Orient on Monday is successful. The United management believe Gray did not raise his fists or headbutt the Orient player John Mackie and are hoping video evidence will back them up. The Cumbrians could welcome back player-manager Paul Simpson who decided to rest his calf against Orient after playing in last Saturday's victory over Kidderminster. Kelvin Langmead is pushing for a starting spot after setting up Craig Farrell's all-important goal against the Harriers but is likely to be left on the bench. McGill voted as CUFC Online Player of the Season Fans who log on to CUFC Online's popular messageboard have voted winger Brendan McGill as their player of the season. CUFC Online also sponsors McGill, an arrangement that has run for the last two seasons. McGill had a disappointing campaign last year but has hit back strongly this season with his best form since joining Carlisle from Sunderland two years ago. In one of the tightest polls ever conducted on the site, McGill pipped defender Kevin Gray by just six votes. Paul Simpson and Craig Farrell both finished closely behind in third and fourth place respectively. Nearly 500 votes were cast in total. High Court threat to CCUIST special meeting Alan Steel, who until recently was chairman of fans' trust CCUIST and on the Board of the football club, has threatened members of the CCUIST Board with a High Court injunction that would stop the planned meeting of members taking place this Sunday. The Board of CCUIST have recommended to members that they adopt a proposal which would see CCUIST relinquishing their option on a second 20% batch of shares in CUFC Holdings Ltd, the football club's parent company. If the plan is adopted, then club owner John Courtenay will be in a position to sell the shares to investors, several of whom are lined up to pump £20,000 into the club in return for an associate director's position. Steel, who has argued for the retention by CCUIST of the voting rights on the shares, has sought legal advice and believes he has enough ammunition to force the adjournment or cancellation of Sunday's meeting, which will be held in Foxy's Restaurant at Brunton Park and starts at 11 am. Brunton Park big screen gets go-ahead for Donny clash John Courtenay has assured fans that the club will screen the vital end-of-season match at Doncaster at Brunton Park. A large 20-metre screen will show the match live to an expected 3,000-plus attendance in Brunton Park's East Stand, which has a capacity of 6,000. Courtenay revealed at a fans' forum last night that United director and prominent local builder Fred Story had agreed to underwrite the cost of staging the screening. Ticket prices have not been revealed but are expected to be around £10 per person. Picture from News & Star |
