With the Cumbrians eight points adrift at the bottom and 11 points away from safety, Paul Simpson will want his strongest possible starting XI available. He has already lost Paul Arnison to suspension and will have to change things up front following Matty Fryatt's return to Walsall. If McGill misses out on the right wing, Simpson may be forced to bring back Adam Rundle on his unfavoured side of the pitch though he could also draft in Will McDonagh and play a narrower formation. McGill has a knee injury that has been slow to heal despite the lack of games over the past fortnight because of the weather. Simpson is hoping McGill will be passed fit to play in a match in which he knows United need to take something and hope other clubs above them start to falter. The Cumbrians have not played since February 21 and have seen Southend and Darlington make progress up the league as they have been stuck on 24 points. Torquay, who lost 2-0 at Brunton Park on December 20 to start the current sequence of 19 points in 11 games, have since hit top form, winning seven games out of eight to move within four points of automatic promotion. But Carlisle have been a bit of a bogey side for them lately, winning 3-2 at Plainmoor last April to help escape relegation at the tail end of last season. Simpson would be delighted to get a repeat of that result but he is showing caution. "The first thing we want to do is make sure we don't lose, but if we can get a win that would set us up perfectly for the Huddersfield match next Tuesday. Torquay are a good side and if they have a good day and we have a bad day they are capable of passing us off the pitch. They also have plenty of weaknesses and we have to make sure we exploit those," he said. Of McGill, he said: "He missed training yesterday and the last thing we want is to play him in this one and then be without him for three or four games. Adam Rundle could come into contention if he doesn't make it, while we could also bring back Will McDonagh and shuffle the team around a little bit." Meanwhile, Simpson continued his purge of Roddy Collins's signings as the club announced the release of Des Byrne and John Slaven, who have both had their contracts paid off. Both players had been on the transfer list and Byrne was involved with Richie Foran in a night club incident last month which saw his team-mate charged with assault. He has been out for a number of months with injury and has not been involved in the first team since November. Of the nine players Simpson placed on the transfer list last year, only Mark Summerbell, Darren Kelly, Michael Jack and Craig Farrell remain at Brunton Park. Blues in Isle of Man action this summer United will compete in the Isle of Man football festival this summer as part of their pre-season preparations. The six clubs competing between July 18 and 24 are: United, Swansea City, Rushden & Diamonds, Port Vale, Bristol Rovers and an Isle of Man Select XI. Picture from News & Star |
