Summer signing Jude Smith is set to get his first Carlisle United outing tonight.

The former Newcastle United goalkeeper is pencilled in to feature in the pre-season friendly at Kendal Town (Westmorland Flooring Stadium, 7pm).

Smith was not on the team sheet for Friday’s first friendly at Penrith as Harry Lewis and Gabe Breeze got the nod, but the 21-year-old was involved in the warm-up.

Manager Paul Simpson confirmed the ex-East Fife man will now play at Parkside Road.

“I’m just rotating them,” he said, explaining why Smith was not involved at Penrith.

“Jude and Gabe Breeze will be involved at Kendal.

“It’s just a case of giving them all a run out, and Jude will get his chance in this game.”

Smith’s fellow summer signings all played against Penrith and most should be involved again against Jimmy Marshall’s Kendal.

The main question mark regarding the new faces concerns Charlie Wyke, who was substituted with a gash to the shin and a knock to the head in the first half at Penrith.

Charlie WykeCharlie Wyke (Image: Ben Holmes)

Of the other first-team players who did not feature on Friday, Simpson must decide whether Jack Ellis can make his first outing of pre-season.

The Cumbrian defender was not involved after feeling some “fatigue” following training, Simpson said – United unwilling to risk Ellis given his history of hamstring injuries.

Striker Georgie Kelly, who is being nursed through the early stages of pre-season, is again unlikely to play tonight.

But some of United’s youngsters who played at Penrith could get another chance again, with the likes of Sam Hetherington, Freddie O’Donoghue, Aran Fitzpatrick, Jake Allan, Josh O’Brien and Dan Hopper part of the first-team ranks at this stage.

Players will again get half a game each in south Cumbria.

“That is definitely [the plan],” added Simpson, “and then Saturday at Workington it will be 60-30.

“Probably St Mirren [the following Friday] will be 60-30s as well, and then we'll re-assess it and see where everybody's at at that point.

“Because it's about just getting everybody minutes, getting everybody as fit as we possibly can for that [first league game on] August 10.”

United tonight take on a Kendal side who are preparing for life in the Northern League Division One, having been controversially moved into the north east-heavy league from the North West Counties League.

Simpson, meanwhile, says he’s happy with the condition his players are in after the opening stages of pre-season.

“Really happy, I think they've done really well,” he said after the 8-0 win at Penrith.

“The week building up to the game had a high volume of work, so on Friday there was always going to be a bit of tiredness, but I’m really pleased with what I've seen.”

Entry at Kendal tonight is £8 for adults, £6 for concessions and £2 for under-16s. They can also be bought HERE