Carlisle United loan striker back for Bradford City decider

The Crystal Palace loan frontman is available for Saturday’s semi-final second leg against Bradford City after completing a three-match ban.

And manager Paul Simpson says the young striker is itching to be called upon for a game Carlisle must win to keep their promotion chances alive.

“He [Gordon] had a bit of an ankle knock as well, so he missed a few days, but he’s certainly fully fit and has been training for at least the last week to ten days,” Simpson said.

“He’s chomping at the bit wanting to come back into it.

“It’s nice to have that other option. It was really disappointing not to have him available and we had to just deal with that.

“But we’ve now got to this point where we’re coming into a really big game, 1-0 down with 90+ mins to go and it’s about whoever gets selected going and performing.”

Gordon had to miss United’s last two games of the league season plus the play-off first leg at Valley Parade after being retrospectively punished over an incident in Carlisle’s 1-0 win at Barrow.

Whilst the 20-year-old adds to Simpson’s attacking options, the manager today reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s second leg.

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On midfielder Callum Guy, who hurt his arm in the first leg, United’s boss confirmed: “He’s fine. It was like a dead arm, but he’s trained all week. There are no issues around anybody from last weekend.”

But there is disappointment over Fin Back’s potential availability should Carlisle reach the Wembley final.

Simpson had hoped the Nottingham Forest loan defender – out recently with a hamstring injury – could be involved in the event of Carlisle getting past Bradford.

But the Blues boss said today: “Fin Back won’t be fit this season – there’s no chance of that one.

Fin Back will now not be available should United reach the final, Paul Simpson has confirmed (Image: Richard Parkes)

“I’ve been speaking with Forest and they don’t believe he’s got a chance. They want him right for pre-season which I totally respect.”

Morgan Feeney could still, though, be available if United reach the final.

Simpson, meanwhile, added that he has Saturday’s team selection fixed in his mind – but he hasn’t told the players yet.

“I know what the team will be for this week,” he said.

“Once we got through Sunday, I knew in my mind what the team is going to be.

“Everybody’s been involved in [the preparations] so I’ve kept mixing it up. The players don’t know what the team is going to yet.

“But in our last bits of preparation they’ll know, and then it’s up to them to be able to go and perform.”