Boss Steven Pressley has promised to handle key striker signing Mark Cullen with care.

The Blackpool loan frontman made his Carlisle United debut as a second-half sub against Exeter after returning from a leg injury.

Pressley said he was delighted to get his recent arrival on the pitch but warned that the 26-year-old was still in the early stages of his comeback.

“He has only had four days of training under his belt, and one of those days was a really low-level day,” United’s manager said.

“We can’t expect too much. It might take him up to three weeks before we really start to see him.

“But the good thing was he made an impact when he came on and showed everybody why we wanted to bring him here.

“We just have to be careful in the management of him, because the last thing I want to do is push him too quickly and then we lose him for the run-in.

“We’ve got to be sensible in that respect.”

Pressley, meanwhile, welcomed Gary Liddle back to his squad as the defender returned from a knee injury.

United’s boss said: “He’s fit and ready.

“It’s unfortunate that he was going to play in [my] first game, got injured and then Gary Miller came in and did particularly well.

“That’s football, unfortunately. But he’s a really top professional and a really good player who we know we will be utilising at some time.”