With a Hallmark Security League First Division Cup semi-final place on offer, Carlisle City boss James Tose knows his side can’t afford to be complacent.

Tose’s team will be favourites this afternoon (3pm kick-off) when they host Ellesmere Rangers in their quarter-final tie at the D Marks Carpet Stadium. 

In the last round, the Sky Blues thumped Eccleshall 11-2. Eccleshall are, in fact, 14th in Hallmark Security League’s South Division, five places better off than Ellesmere.

Tose, though, doesn’t want complacency creeping into his side.

Ahead of the match against Ellesmere, who have former Carlisle United player Kevin Sandwith as one of their joint bosses, Tose said: “They are a new team at this level.

“They are struggling a little bit in the South Division. We beat Eccleshall 11-2 in the last round and Eccleshall are above them in the league table. It looks a winnable game but you still need to do what you need to on the pitch.

"You need to win your battles over the pitch and that’s the only way to win games of football, regardless of who the opposition are.

"We will just need to make sure that we work harder than the opposition.”

Tose expects to have David Renyard and Kieron Blair available while he is also hopeful on the fitness of James Earl with "a precautionary pitch inspection" planned for 9am. 

The other quarter-final ties to take place today will be Avro v Garstang and Cheadle Heath Nomads v Sandbach United. AFC Liverpool v Bacup Borough will then complete the quartet of cup ties tomorrow.

Tose said: “Avro are probably the strongest team left in it on paper, although I’m not sure how seriously they will take it with how well they are doing in the league.

“We want to finish as high as high as we can in the league of course, and we still have a realistic chance of a top-three finish.

"We've shown progression but to get some silverware would be fantastic for the club and the players.”