Penrith will send a social side to Keswick on New Year’s Day for the annual game against their Lakes hosts.

Whether any first teamers will sneak into the line-up depends on whether they want to blow away any cobwebs, but for both clubs, there are bigger objectives.

Penrith went into the winter break in good shape following a hard-fought 17-15 win at Dinnington in North One East.

That left the Winters Park side third in the table, four points behind joint leaders Pocklington and West Hartlepool, and level on points with Alnwick.

But significantly Penrith have a game in hand on all three of their rivals. That catch-up game is at home to second bottom Guisborough who have only won two games all season.

Mind you, fourth bottom Dinnington gave them plenty to think about two weeks ago and remarkably, given their league position, Dinnington have earned more bonus points (12) than every other team in the league.

Penrith resume on January 7 with a potentially tricky away game at sixth-placed Durham City.

Keswick, who will host Sunday’s friendly, are going equally well in the Cumbria League and are in good shape to make a return to North Lancs Cumbria.

They lie second in the table with seven wins in as many games and are just two points behind long-time leaders Cockermouth, with a match in hand.

More significantly, they have played Cockermouth three times so far, only once in the league, and beaten them, albeit narrowly on all three occasions.

They are not due to resume until January 14 when they have a crunch game with the third team in the hunt for the title, Whitehaven. The Playground side are three points behind Keswick from the same number of games.

Meanwhile, Carlisle have announced they will be holding a special general meeting on Wednesday, January 18 at 8pm in the Rugby club.

At the 2016 Annual General Meeting in July, approval of the accounts was deferred on recommendation of the club’s accountants so that further consideration could be given to the effect of the floods and insurance issues.

Notice has now been given the meeting will be held on that date to consider and approve the accounts for the year 2015 / 2016.

No other business will be taken at this meeting.

Carlisle go into the New Year as leaders of North Lancs Cumbria and in good heart. They will resume at Workington, one of the sides fighting relegation, and looking most likely for a quick return to the Cumbria League.

They have a big lead but two near neighbours Aspatria and Wigton are among the teams grouping up behind.

Aspatria resume at home to bottom of the table Silloth on January 7 while Wigton travel to the much-improved Hawcoat Park, outsiders for a promotion play-off place.