Steven Pressley believes his careful approach to managing striker Mark Cullen’s workload will pay off in Carlisle United’s run-in.

The striker made the first start of his loan spell at Colchester on Saturday as he continued his return to full match fitness.

The 26-year-old featured for 69 minutes in Carlisle’s 1-1 draw in Essex and will hope to lead the line again at Newport this weekend.

Pressley admitted United were weakened as a result of Cullen being substituted for the closing stages against John McGreal’s side.

But he insisted that, with 12 games to go in the Blues’ attempted promotion push, it was still right not to push the ex-Luton man to the limit.

Pressley said: “We were again discussing it [on the bench] and I had shouted to [Mark], and he said, ‘Five more minutes.’

“I asked if he could give us more.

“But I was just concerned, because sometimes you can ask too much of a player too early and end up losing him for a period of time.

“It was important we continue to manage him, because I think he’s going to be a key player for us in our remaining games.”

Cullen, who has recently returned from a leg injury, was involved in the chance that saw Hallam Hope give United the lead.

They were later pegged back by Frankie Kent’s 84th-minute equaliser which sent Pressley’s side out of the play-off places.

Pressley added: “I think maybe, in the last 20-25 minutes, we missed the kind of link that Cullen had given us at times.

“We didn’t so much have that focal point. Although H [Hallam Hope] played through the middle, he’s more of a runner through, and we maybe lacked that kind of link.

“I do think we saw [on Saturday] why Cullen is regarded as a very good player in this league.

“We were delighted with him and hopefully, week on week, we will see improvements in that.”

League Two leaders Lincoln host seventh-placed Exeter tonight.

United yesterday paid tribute to Arthur Brown, a familiar face at the club in many roles over the years, who has died.

Known as “little Arthur”, he worked as a car park attendant, lottery collector, caretaker in the Neil Sports Centre and matchday club caretaker.

Blues chairman Andrew Jenkins said: “This is a big loss to everybody because Arthur was a very welcome sight on match days. He worked with us until he was well into his 90s and his bright and cheerful character gave us all a lift.”

Co-owner John Nixon added that Arthur was a “wonderful man” who, over the last two seasons, had been welcomed into the boardroom and was allocated a seat at every home game in recognition of his service to the club.