Chris Beech has highlighted the need for Carlisle United’s young players to get regular action following the bright start made by striker Sam Fishburn on loan at Lancaster City.

Fishburn fired two goals on his debut for the Northern Premier club at Witton Albion.

The 17-year-old will be out to impress again when the Dolly Blues face Grantham Town this weekend.

Fishburn’s departure on a youth loan until January could be followed by more loans for United’s teenage prospects.

The likes of goalkeepers Gabriel Breeze and Scott Simons could be among the candidates to get some senior football elsewhere if Carlisle decide it is an option worth pursuing.

Beech, though, said the Blues would weigh that up alongside the possibility of such players getting reserve and cup games at United.

“They need to play, that’s for sure,” Beech said.

“At the fans’ forum I got some good questions asked of me, and one was about us being in a reserve league or not.

“We are in the reserve [Central League] cup, we are in the Papa John’s Trophy.

“I suppose it’s on my toes as manager; I didn’t see the risk everyone else saw in changing the team going to Sheffield United [in the Carabao Cup].

“[I did it] because it’s important I protect what we’ve just talked about, the three games we’ve had away [in quick succession], and in due course you can see, if anything, a little bit of that in Jack Armer [cramping up] in the last 10 minutes at Swindon and Port Vale, because he’s played so hard at Sheff United as well.

“It’s important we give opportunity but do provide platforms – but for reasoning.

“It’s not because they’re not wanted, it’s for development, to be exposed [to] different factors [that can help them] to bridge that gap.

“I can’t wait for the day Fish scores two goals at the Warwick Road End and everybody’s shouting some ‘Fish’ type song…but he’s got to work very hard to get to that point, because you could see in our pre-season games he wasn’t going to do that at this point.

“But it doesn’t mean he won’t in the future – he’s 17.”