A TRIM of the playing squad could take place at Parkside Road this week as Kendal Town try to manage their shoestring budget for the season.

Left back and winger Danny Williams has signed on loan for Chester, who were promoted from the Evo-Stik Premier Division last season.

Other players to leave and who they are is unclear, but some players are likely to depart before the crunch tie with Whitby Town on Tuesday.

In the opposite direction, midfielder Jack Cook joined the Mintcakes from Lancaster City Reserves this week and made an impressive debut in the 2-2 draw with Ashton United, while fellow midfielders Adam Birchall, Alex Ralph and striker Josh Amis joined the week before last.

Doyle Middleton has left the club having made one appearance for the side.

Kendal, who are 17th in the table, will take on Whitby Town, Ilkeston FC and Stocksbridge Park Steels in their next three league games - all sides that are below the Black and Whites in the table - and Ashcroft wants as many points as possible from those games.

“We’re having to have a little bit of a wage cut but I’ll deal with that and get the team right for Tuesday’s game against Whitby,” Ashcroft said.

“I would have settled for a point against Ashton before the game but it was disappointing in the end not to have all three.

“I thought we were head-and-shoulders above Ashton, who are an experienced side with players who have won this division and the one above, so if we can continue to play like that for the 29 games that are left we’ll be in this division next season.

“There are a lot of positives that have come out of the Ashton game. The three up front were outstanding, the midfield ran the game and Rory Winters was superb at centre back.”

Ashcroft hopes that Jack Duggan, the centre back who has been out since the Dunston UTS FA Cup replay in mid-September, will be in the squad for the Whitby tie, while Jordan Tucker was replaced on the bench for Tuesday’s game against Ashton at the last minute and will be pushing for a recall if he can get fit in time.

Town have no game today (Saturday), so Ashcroft put his players through their paces with a rigorous training session on Thursday as he gave his squad the weekend off.

Meanwhile there will be a repeat of last year’s final in the Lancashire Co-Operative Challenge Trophy second round when Kendal entertain Chorley at Parkside Road.

The tie will take place on Tuesday, November 6.