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" I've had a slight tear in my hamstring for the last three or four weeks. We are a bit low on numbers and have a few suspensions to deal with, too, so there are a few of us who are playing with injuries. It's not too bad, but I haven't been able to get rid of it because I have played in all the games.
" I haven't been doing the full training. I'm expecting to play tomorrow and I don't think it will be a problem. It's not a perfect situation and if we had a bigger squad I would probably have a few weeks off to get it 100 per cent. I'm quite happy to keep playing though because the club needs me to.
" Karl Hawley scored a lot of goals during his time at Carlisle so it'll be great if he is involved over the weekend. He's not played a lot of football since he's been here really and it's not been down to him. In training he's been brilliant so hopefully he can show some of that form in the games now. If he was to score against Carlisle, we'll all be very happy. "
In team news for the visitors tomorrow they have problems in midfield with both Neal Bishop and Alan Judge out suspended. Bishop out on a one match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in County's 2-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday, while Alan Judge misses three games after being sent off in that match for kicking out at Darren Potter late on.
In better news suspension-wise for County though, fellow midfielder Ricky Ravenhill is back after serving his own one-match ban in that fixture. On the other side of the coin again though defender Stephen Hunt is still making his way back from a hamstring injury, with that situation also being the same for experienced striker Ben Burgess who is nursing a calf problem.
The Magpies also have doubts over the participation in the game of three other players. Well known centre forward Lee Hughes is struggling with an on-off groin and hip problem that has flared up this week while fellow frontman Craig Westcarr, who has scored five goals so far this season, is hoping to recover in time from a hamstring injury to play a part in the match. Finally defender John Thompson has been playing with a slight tear in his hamstring for the past four weeks and he had to pull out of training on Thursday with it.
The referee for tomorrow afternoon's match is Michael Naylor from Sheffield, and he will be assisted down the lines by Scott Oldham from Blackpool and Michael Salisbury from Penwortham, near Preston. Meanwhile the fourth official is Peter Bankes from Bootle, Merseyside.