Head coach Chris Beech says Carlisle United must not use their disrupted preparations as any excuse as they look to get back to winning ways at Cambridge this weekend.

The Blues have been unable to use their own training pitch since it was flooded during Storm Ciara, and have been forced to use a range of different facilities.

That has included sessions on the artificial surface at Penrith Rugby Club, where the Blues trained on Thursday.

Beech said the upheaval is not ideal but United must make the best of the situation. He said: “We have to find a way as a football team.

“You just have to remove any sort of discrepancy that can get in the way of preparation. We remove all excuses.”

Beech said Penrith’s 4G pitch is one of the best in the area and he was grateful for their help.

He added: “If you speak to any lower-league club at this time of the year, irrelevant of whether they’ve got a swimming pool just outside the ground or not, they are training on basic 4G.

“The players do prefer grass, obviously, but if you can’t get on a good grass area, sometimes you’re better on 4G.”

Beech is hoping United can soon turn draws into wins, his team having lost just once in their last eight League Two games, but also having failed to win in their last five.

He hopes to have Nathan Thomas available for their bid for three points at mid-table Cambridge.

The nine-goal attacker limped out of last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Morecambe early in the second half and Beech said he had not trained fully this week.

United’s boss said: “He had an injury quite a while ago, when he was at Sunderland, so a long time ago – in his ankle he’s got a bit of a metal plate type fixing in there.

“He got a knock on it early doors against Morecambe, tried to carry on, couldn’t do that, at half-time he wanted to have a little go second half but early on you could see he wasn’t correct, so it was the right thing to bring him off.

“With a bit of luck he’ll be ready for Saturday but we’ll see. He’s not done too much this week on the football pitch; he’s been doing his rehab.”

Beech also sounded a positive note on Joshua Kayode as the Rotherham loan striker continues his comeback from a hamstring injury.

He said: “He’s on the grass, with a football now, it’s just a case of when we step up to that last part of that rehab.”

This weekend's opponents have won four of their last five games under caretaker boss Mark Bonner, while United are unbeaten in their last five on the road in all competitions.

Although Carlisle are looking increasingly safe with their gap above bottom position now 14 points, Beech said there is still plenty to play for – both for team and individuals.

Beech said: “I’m always quite confident in what the lads can look to produce and offer, but we have to make sure we do simple things well, our energy’s high, and our response to setbacks is good.

“Winning’s important irrelevant of where you are and what you’re trying to achieve. It’s a great feeling. Three points is vital. As we look to gain today’s three points, as a club I’m always asking our staff and ourselves to develop tomorrow’s, constantly looking at winning traits, behaviours and characteristics that make us stronger, and we have to look to achieve that on Saturday.”

On the prospect of players playing for their futures at this stage of the campaign, he added: “It was always in my mind when I played. Never give up on any opportunity that comes your way.

“Whether you’re 35 or 17 and in that squad, you’ve got to make sure it’s as important to you as it is when we all do our jobs.

“Try to treat each day as though it’s your first day at work, don’t give up anything or take anything for granted.”

Cambridge’s squad could include former United winger Reggie Lambe, but ex-Blues strike favourite Jabo Ibehre is sidelined.