Carlisle City boss Jim Nichols has praised the fighting qualities of his side in the Northern League Division Two.

City have collected 21 points from their last 10 games and three times they have looked to be down and out.

But from 5-2 behind against Newcastle University, they came back to draw and were 2-0 in arrears against Redcar when they levelled with the last kick of the game.

Nichols said: “We were 2-0 down after 55 minutes at Crook Town on Saturday but came back well to draw with goals from Karl Armstrong and Jordan Irving.

“We could have even won it but Rob McCartney was clean through when he was flagged off-side and clearly wasn’t.

“Mind you they had a stonewall penalty turned down and within 20 seconds we had gone down the other end and scored our first.

“But the way we are seeing out games strongly has been encouraging. We’re training twice a week with emphasis on the fitness side on a Tuesday and it sems to be paying dividends.

“When Alan and I got involved we changed the squad and tried to bring in younger players. Nine of the 14 who travelled to Crook weren’t here last season.

“But the big thing is we could have taken 25 players because we have such a keen, committed squad and that is encouraging.

“Saturday’s game was fourth against fifth and I think if we can continue in our present form until the end of the season we will finish in the top four.”

Tomorrow City are on the road tomorrow to Chester-le-Street who sit 10th in the league, six points behind the Cumbrians.

Neighbours Penrith are still battling for their Division One lives after a 3-0 defeat at home to Hebburn.

Dave Hewson’s side are fourth-bottom, but still reasonably in touch with the three sides immediately above them in the table.

They need to start putting a run together and tomorrow face a trip to ninth-placed Bishop Auckland.

The Bishops are one of the most famous names of the past in north east football, when they were ruling the roost in amateur football in the 1950s.

They have played more games than almost all the clubs in the league and will entertain Penrith on the back of a 2-1 home defeat by West Auckland.

Penrith can relate to that, however, as before Christmas they crashed 6-0 at West Auckland.

Hebburn had arrived at Frenchfield as the top goal-scorers in the Northern League so after their heavy defeat in the previous match there would have been some trepidation in the home dressing-room.

Carl Taylor put the visitors in front on 31 minutes before two goals in two minutes from Graeme Armstrong sealed the win in the second half.

Ironically, the opening goal came just a minute after Willie Paul had the first real chance of the game for Penrith but shot just wide.

Penrith: Miller, Faustino, Davidson, Studholme, Holliday, May, Main, Moynan (Brown 73), Paul (Law 78), Ivison, Gardner.