Former loan goalkeeper Joe Fryer has returned to Carlisle United on trial.

The Middlesbrough man, who has battled back from long-term injury, played in the Blues' first pre-season friendly today.

Fryer, 24, played the first hour at Fleetwood as the Blues lost 4-2.

Fryer has been training with Chris Beech's squad and his return to Cumbria sees the keeper back in action after a long recovery from the broken leg he suffered whilst on loan at Brunton Park in August 2018.

He has not been in first-team action since that game against Crewe.

Fryer has been given the chance to impress head coach Beech, who needs a second senior goakeeper to compete with summer signing Magnus Norman.

A second trialist featured for United at Fleetwood, meanwhile, understood to be former Forest Green winger Junior Mondal.

United have not yet commented on either trialist and are believed to have good reasons for that stance at the moment.

Lewis Alessandra and Jon Mellish were on target in this afternoon's behind-closed-doors game on the Fylde coast.

The friendly, at Fleetwood's Poolfoot Farm training complex, saw seven of United's eight summer signings involved, Jack Armer the only one not to figure.

He, along with Aaron Hayden and Omari Patrick, travelled with the squad but trained rather than play in the game as precautions over minor injury niggles, United said.

Alessandra shot the Blues into a fifth minute lead before Ched Evans levelled for Joey Barton's side on 38 minutes.

Mellish put the Cumbrians back in front before half-time but Fleetwood fought back through a Rod McDonald own goal, a trialist and Shayden Morris.

The game also saw midfielder Callum Guy complete 60 minutes in his first game back after injury.

Youth team players Keelan Leslie and Elliott Day came on as substitutes while first-year pros Charlie Barnes, Charlie Birch, Liam Lightfoot and Jamie Armstrong also featured.

Fleetwood's side also included former United striker Paddy Madden.

United: Trialist (Norman 60), Tanner (Barnes 79), Anderton (Birch 60), Devine (Leslie 79), Hunt (Lightfoot 79), Trialist, Guy (Riley 60), Alessandra (Reilly 46), Mellish (Armstrong 60), McDonald (Day 79), Kayode (Charters 46).

Fleetwood: Cairns, Trialist, Rydel, Baggley, Holgate, Burns, Evans, Camps, Morris, Coutts, Madden.