03-08-2025
Carlisle United end 'hard' pre-season with victory in Chester
CARLISLE United first-team coach Gav Skelton has reflected on a 'hard' pre-season for the Blues.
The Blues ended their 2025/26 pre-season campaign with a 2-0 victory against Calum McIntyre's Chester at the Deva Stadium.
Elliot Embleton's penalty and an own goal from Chester's Tom Leak sealed the result for the Blues who were supported by over 300 travelling Cumbrians.
After the fixture, Carlisle United's first team coach Gav Skelton reflected on the 'positive result'.
Speaking to the News & Star, he said: "It's a positive result although it is pre-season.
"It breeds confidence and its not just 2-0, I thought we were convincing, I don't think we have been troubled too many times which shows a good resilience right through the team defensively, out from the keeper, the back four, and the whole team.
"Ultimately you have got to score goals and we have done that by scoring two goals and have won 2-0 quit comfortably I think."
Skelton also piled the praise on Carlisle United forward Regan Linney after his performance against the Seals.
A performance which saw him test Chester goalkeeper Lewys Benjamin on several occasions as well as winning the Blues spot kick with some slick footwork and delivering the cross which was deflected by an opposition defender into his own goal.
He said: "He is a threat, other teams were looking at him and we are lucky enough to have him.
"He has done it in pre-season, now can he go and continue his form from last season at Altrincham into the real stuff for us.
"He has been pleasing and promising and he will be going in confident and adapted to the group, so it has been a really promising pre-season, as it has been for a number of them.
Carlisle United's attentions will now turn to their first National League when they travel to Woking on Saturday, August 9.
However, ahead of stepping up preparation for this first fixture, Skelton reflected on the club's pre-season campaign.
He said: "It has been a hard pre-season and I think you would hear that from the players as well.
"You get a bit of a reward when you get good results in pre-season and hopefully it builds a bit of confidence and belief, not just amongst he players but throughout the whole club and supporters which we need to take into the season.
