Carlisle United are now on the home straight with just days to go until the new season.
Here, we take a closer look at their pre-season friendlies – who got the most minutes, who was more lightly raced, and who hit the goal trail…
NEW KEEPER LEADS THE WAY
Carlisle have played seven friendlies this summer, totalling 630 available minutes of pre-season action (not including injury time).
And it is new goalkeeper Tomas Holy who has totted up the most time on the pitch in the build-up to 2022/23.
The summer signing from Ipswich Town featured in all seven games and accrued 499 minutes between the posts.
That is just over 79 per cent of all the available game time for the Blues in Paul Simpson’s pre-season.
OUTFIELD RUNNERS
The outfield player who has clocked up the most minutes this pre-season is defender Jon Mellish.
Carlisle’s longest-serving player, who has reverted to defence under Simpson after spells in midfield and attack, has had more time on the pitch than anyone bar keeper Holy.
Mellish has played for 457 minutes of the available 630. That includes two 90-minute outings, as well as appearances of 84 and 74 minutes.
Next, with 438, comes Ben Barclay, who has had plenty of pitch time despite not arriving at the club until United’s second summer game.
Callum Guy, Jordan Gibson and Owen Moxon all have similar totals after that, with Jack Armer and Corey Whelan also picking up plenty of minutes.
Others to top the 300-minute mark are Kristian Dennis, Tobi Sho-Silva and Ryan Edmondson.
THE INJURY TOLL
The appearance figures of some reflect injuries or other brief absences.
Omari Patrick has 68 minutes to his name after being sidelined for a chunk of pre-season.
Of Carlisle’s senior players who’ve been here for the duration, Brennan Dickenson has the next fewest minutes on 245, the left-sided man having missed the final two outings with a dead leg.
Morgan Feeney’s injury against Bolton limited him to 278 minutes in total., while Sonny Hilton got 257 minutes after missing the first game, Jamie Devitt likewise on 256.
Carlisle’s other injured players, meanwhile, have not been involved in any friendlies.
That includes Taylor Charters, who was sidelined early in pre-season, and Sam Fishburn, who is fighting back from a knee injury.
Keeper Scott Simons’ injury midway through pre-season has also cost him the chance of an outing.
Then there are Josh Dixon and Joel Senior, working their way back from longer-term injuries and still some time away from returning.
Others’ pre-season numbers are simply limited by the fact they joined Carlisle at a certain stage in pre-season.
This applies to Fin Back, who has 206 minutes to his name but averages 69 minutes in his three outings since joining from Nottingham Forest.
THE 90-MINUTE MEN
Two members of Paul Simpson’s squad have played three full games across the seven in pre-season.
They are keeper Tomas Holy and defender Ben Barclay.
Four more have made two 90-minute outings in pre-season.
That trio are Jon Mellish, Callum Guy, Jack Armer and Corey Whelan.
Others getting one full game are Jordan Gibson, Kristian Dennis, Morgan Feeney and Jamie Devitt.
Some of United’s leading figures have not completed a full game in the build-up to the 2022/23 campaign.
For example, Ryan Edmondson has played in six of United’s seven games but his longest outing is his 71 minutes against Bolton Wanderers.
Owen Moxon has the sixth most pre-season minutes, but his longest appearance clocks in at 84 minutes.
The longest of Tobi Sho-Silva’s seven outings lasted 74 minutes against Livingston, with Sonny Hilton’s longest appearance on the same number.
Seven players, meanwhile, featured in every single one of Carlisle’s pre-season games against Penrith, Kendal Town, Workington Reds, Greenock Morton, Bolton Wanderers, Livingston and Morecambe.
They are Holy, Mellish, Guy, Gibson, Moxon, Armer and Sho-Silva.
YOUNG GUNS
Simpson gave a number of outings to some young pros and youth players especially in the early stages of pre-season.
Clocking up the most minutes from the teenage ranks was Jack Ellis, who got 243 to his name.
Next was Nic Bollado, the 17-year-old striker, who caught the eye in his 201 minutes as he pushed his way into Simpson’s thinking.
Max Kilsby was next on 173, with Lewis Bell (162), Ryan Carr (125), Kai Nugent (103) and Gabe Breeze getting some chances to impress.
GOALSCORING
And then it comes down to finding the back of the net – where, as you’d hope, two of United’s frontmen lead the way.
Summer signing Ryan Edmondson scored against Penrith, Workington (two) and Bolton to end pre-season on four goals.
He is joined on that tally by Kristian Dennis, who netted against Penrith, Kendal and Bolton.
Jamie Devitt’s hat-trick at Kendal puts him third on the pre-season scoring chart.
After that, it’s two apiece for Tobi-Sho Silva, Sonny Hilton and Nic Bollado, with one each for Jordan Gibson, Brennan Dickenson and Ben Barclay, and an own-goal by a Workington trialist completing United’s pre-season total of 21 from seven games.
UNITED’S PRE-SEASON MINUTES
TOMAS HOLY – 499
JON MELLISH – 457
BEN BARCLAY – 438
CALLUM GUY – 404
JORDAN GIBSON – 403
OWEN MOXON – 402
JACK ARMER– 385
COREY WHELAN – 381
KRISTIAN DENNIS – 357
TOBI SHO-SILVA – 353
RYAN EDMONDSON – 313
MORGAN FEENEY – 278
SONNY HILTON – 257
JAMIE DEVITT – 256
BRENNAN DICKENSON – 245
JACK ELLIS – 243
FIN BACK – 206
NIC BOLLADO – 201
MAX KILSBY – 173
LEWIS BELL – 162
RYAN CARR – 125
KAI NUGENT – 103
GABRIEL BREEZE – 86
OMARI PATRICK – 68
TRIALIST – 45
TRIALIST – 45
TRIALIST – 45
GOALS
RYAN EDMONDSON 4
KRISTIAN DENNIS 4
JAMIE DEVITT 3
TOBI SHO-SILVA 2
SONNY HILTON 2
NIC BOLLADO 2
JORDAN GIBSON 1
BRENNAN DICKENSON 1
BEN BARCLAY 1
OWN GOAL 1
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