Head coach Chris Beech says players left out of the Carlisle United side recently have had ample opportunity to hold down a place.

A number of senior players have been sidelined from the starting line-up and even the matchday 18-man squad in recent weeks.

One player whose omission has caused debate among supporters is striker Olufela Olomola, who has scored six goals this season but only made one start under Beech.

Asked about the Scunthorpe loan man, Beech said: “He played at Forest Green, he had a good opportunity coming on against Cardiff.

“Take it. Take your opportunity, it’s a simple answer.”

Beech expanded on the subject when asked if he would still like to bring in an out-and-out number 9 to improve United’s goal threat.

He said: “We’ve got players who can do that. In the early part of the season Fela was doing it, and scoring goals, but in a counter-attacking style we weren’t winning the ball back in the opposing half; looking at the DVDs, the forward players could relax while the defenders were defending, and then they get their turn to attack.

“The game’s more mobile and consistent, and you’ve got people like Ryan Loft, who trained very well yesterday; I just want competitiveness to that.

“I would not write anybody off. They’ve got to make sure they’re showing those consistent traits to say ‘it’s me, gaffer, who should be playing’.

“The lads have had opportunities, every single player has had one, and they’ve had them before I came in, but Carlisle find themselves in this position because they’ve not done enough, for whatever reason, however you want to look at it. So we have to do more in a different way to get more.”

Beech left Olomola and fellow loanee Canice Carroll out of his squad last weekend, Brentford midfielder Carroll appearing firmly out of favour at Brunton Park in recent weeks.

The head coach hinted at a difficulty in securing returns for such players to their parent clubs as United try to move on some out-of-favour individuals.

But he also suggested that United’s recent transfer business could potentially help in moving certain players on.

And Beech added that, as long as players remain at the club, they will continue to get the chance to stake a claim.

Beech said: “With some of the football clubs, they’re their players, and they’re not saying, ‘We want them back’.

“Wow. What does that say about the player or the original choice, or the position everybody’s in?

“Everybody here has every divine right to represent all of us in gaining our three points. Just go and do it.

“If you don’t want to, or don’t want to do it in a way that represents the team building, team ethos, then you’re not right for Carlisle – that’s your choice, not mine.

“We have the capability, I suppose, to manage that better than we would have done if those things [recent player sales] hadn’t happened.”