Keith Millen said he will have Carlisle United’s busy schedule in mind when he picks his team to face Lincoln City in the Papa John’s Trophy tonight.

The Blues take on League One opposition in the second round of the controversial competition (Brunton Park, 7pm).

It is a chance for the Cumbrians to progress to the last 16 and earn more prize money in the process.

Another small crowd is likely as some fans continue to boycott the Trophy over its involvement of Premier League clubs.

Millen says he will continue to take the competition seriously but will carefully weigh up his selection.

“I’ll pick the strongest team I can to win the game,” he said.

“It’ll be a tough game but it’s an important one for the club and the team.

“It’s a busy schedule at the moment with all the games we’ve got, and we have a few injuries, which is always a concern.

“We can play Jon Mellish in that one, that gives us another body.”

Midfielder Mellish has served two games of a three-match ban following his recent red card at Exeter, but is allowed to play tonight, because of individual competition suspension rules.

News and Star: Opponents: Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton (photo: PA)Opponents: Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton (photo: PA)

Other players hoping for involvement against Michael Appleton’s Imps this evening include Jonathan Dinzeyi, Manasse Mampala and Taylor Charters.

A win tonight would earn the Blues £20,000 in prize money.

It comes in the northern half of the trophy which has embarrassingly already seen all the top-flight Under-21 sides knocked out.

The Premier League academy sides were introduced into the competition in 2016 to give top-level young players experience against lower-league first teams.

Just two Under-21 sides – Chelsea and Arsenal – remain in the southern section.

United’s group stage home game in the competition against Everton Under-21s attracted Brunton Park’s second-lowest all-time attendance of just 875.

But chairman Andrew Jenkins used recent programme notes to encourage fans to attend Trophy games, saying: “For those who do not like the competition, they have missed some really entertaining games and the club has earned welcome revenue, with some players getting much-needed match practice."

Lincoln are 18th in League One.

Tonight’s game is the first of a cup double-header in the space of five days, with Millen saying United head into the games in good spirits after Saturday’s league win over Walsall.

“We can look forward to them,” he said.

“We want to win, 100 per cent we do – we can not forget about the league as such, but look forward to these two games now and keep improving.”

Millen hopes United’s much-needed victory on Saturday can prove a psychological boost for his team.

“The confidence has been there – the only bit that’s been missing is the goalscoring, or converting the chances,” he said.

“Saturday was probably the worst we played in possession, but conditions weren’t easy so I’ve got no reason to moan.

“Scoring a goal will add to the confidence, and we have to build on that.”