Carlisle United boss Mike Williamson rates Dylan McGeouch’s chances of returning to action on Tuesday as “highly unlikely”.

The midfielder missed Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Grimsby Town with a calf problem.

Head coach Williamson said the Scot will be further assessed on Monday but the chances of him returning against Notts County the following day seem remote.

“I'm not ruling him out just yet but it's highly unlikely I think,” said Williamson.

“It was quite sore, and he’s been nursing a stiff calf.

“It had been improving but then after training on Friday it didn’t, so I think it [will be] too much of a quick turnaround.

“We’ll assess him on Monday and hopefully it won’t be too long.”

Williamson, meanwhile, said a personal matter was behind his decision not to start Jon Mellish.

The defender was among the substitutes and came off the bench late on during the 3-2 defeat.

Mellish has been a regular starter under a series of managers but Williamson felt it was right to take him out of the firing line after a difficult time.

Jon MellishJon Mellish (Image: Richard Parkes)

“Jon has been fantastic from day one, and he's a wholehearted player, but I just felt that [he could do] with coming out of that that pressure situation.

“He’s has a bit of time off, but he wants to train, wants to work and he wanted to be involved and that’s testament to him.

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“He doesn’t want anything other than to continue what he’s doing.”

Williamson’s two changes to the side on Saturday saw goalscorer Dominic Sadi and Josh Vela come back into the team.

“That's football – you've just got to make sure you're proactive and when one door closes another one opens,” added the new Blues boss.

Terell Thomas also made his return on Saturday, the defender back from a hamstring problem. He came off the bench along with Mellish in the 87th minute.