'Chaos' - Carlisle's preparations for Sixfields trip heavily disrupted by the weather

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson admits the bitterly cold conditions have caused ‘chaos’ for his side in their attempts to prepare for Saturday's League Two game against Northampton at Sixfields.

Both Carlisle and Cobblers fell victim to the weather last weekend and freezing temperatures have continued to cause problems this week with training pitches struggling to hold up.

“It’s chaos,” admitted Simpson. “It’s not ideal to be really honest but it is what it is.

"We haven’t been able to do the work that I really wanted to, particularly today (Wednesday). The way we planned the week, today was going to be about some big pitch work and we would do 11 against 11 but the pitch was frozen solid so we weren’t able to do it.

"I said to the players that this isn’t an ideal situation but we just have to make the best of it and that’s what we have done. We may not have done all the work that we ideally wanted to but the players will be ready.

"I’ve had weeks where the preparation has been really good and we have been hopeless on a Saturday and then there have been weeks with bad preparation but we have been very good on a Saturday. We just have to make sure we are ready mentally and physically for whatever comes.

“It’s just football. It’s a problem when you are living in a house and you can’t put your heating on. That’s a problem. This is football. We can deal with it and we will get on with it.”

On the game itself, Simpson said: “They are a good side with a strong home and away record but they will be looking at us and thinking it will be a tough game.

"They are just a tough side to play against. Both the wide players – (Sam) Hoskins and (Mitch) Pinnock – cause problems and they have energy about them and the way they play has been effective. They are one of the more fancied teams but it’s just the next game for us and we just want to get out there – it’ll be a novelty just get back on some grass again!”