Head coach Chris Beech says it’s time to stop talking about Carlisle United’s recent frustrating lay-off – and focus on the here and now.

The Blues are preparing for their second game since returning from a heavily interrupted spell since the turn of the year.

While the Cumbrians are attempting to regain the rhythm and form that put them firmly in the promotion race – with a host of games to catch up on – Beech says it is important not to dwell on their lack of recent action.

Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to face Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium (kick-off 3pm), Beech says everyone must move on from the challenges of recent weeks.

“It was great to play [on Tuesday in the 1-0 defeat at Harrogate], because we’ve been in a strange period that everybody knows about,” the United boss said.

“Like anything in life, you have to move on from that period.

“We can talk about it at the end of the season, but I don’t think it’s right to keep reflecting on it right now – it’s simply time to concentrate on your next opponent and then look at the opportunity we have in the 22 games left.

“We have to attack each opponent individually in that.

“It’s disappointing to lose a game, it always is, but it’s a strange period that we’ve hopefully surpassed completely.

“Whatever you’re doing, if you’ve not done it for so long, there’s always a breaking-in period, but we’ve played that [game] now.

“I think it’s similar [to being at the start of a season] but probably much harsher, because you’ve got a plan at that point, summer weather, and condition and knowing when the season starts.

“The unknowns, uncertainties, the going to and not doing in terms of games cancelled etc that we’ve had at this stage…but it’s the past. It’s happened. So we move on from that point.

“It will become a story within 10 years of, ‘What happened in the 20/21 season?’. At the moment we’re living it out.

“It’s not time to tell the story, it’s just time to concentrate on the next opponent. We have to make sure we’re ready for Salford who are a very, very good team.”

United are preparing to face fourth-placed Salford, the club famously backed by the ‘Class of 92’ Manchester United legends.

Carlisle are ninth but still with a number of games to make up on all their rivals.

They could climb back up the table if they can become the first League Two side to chalk up an away win against Richie Wellens’ Salford this season.

Beech, meanwhile, has played down the idea of squad “rotation” as he considers his selection options for United’s first ever game at the Peninsula Stadium, last season’s trip having fallen victim to the Covid-19 outbreak in the spring.

“I think that we now have options, and the answers will be dependent on performances and opponents we’re playing against,” he said.

“Those answers come to me when you go on that journey, because our team’s developed from a plan from the summer, and some players are playing in different positions to originally recruited to that original plan.

“What the capability of a good working environment is, is seeing what makes a difference at the time rather than being so specific and recruiting a player that we can’t afford to do and that guarantees you 25 goals in League Two.

“We have to find the answer in different ways and we’ll continue to do that.

“But the beauty of what we’ve done in January is, if there is discrepancy in the future, if the virus rears its head again, if there is major injury and suspension that will happen probably in 22 fixtures Saturday-Tuesday, we have the capabilities of what you would class as not being weaker.”