United media officer and first team kitman Andy Hall spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips shortly before Carlisle's League One match at home to Leyton Orient, Hall first talking about the fact the match required a minor pitch inspection to get the go ahead :
JP
How close did we come, it seemed quite close, to this one not making it?
AH
It was more a case of the referee (Carl Boyeson) just being happy in his own mind. I think it has never really been in doubt but he has got to be 100% certain that the Health and Safety aspects around the ground and certainly on the pitch are as they should be.
So he has had a look at that, he has had a long conversation with his own staff, he has had a couple of conversations with the Orient staff and with the Carlisle staff. Everybody wants it to go ahead and he is comfortable that it can go ahead.
JP
Certainly looking around Brunton Park, there is no problem with the safety around the ground and out on the terraces as well. But it just seemed that troublesome Warwick Road End didn't it. I saw the referee doing the old stick the car keys in there, they were walking on their heels. Geraint Williams at one stage, the Orient manager, gesticulated that it was rock hard, there was a bit of a fear amongst fans and there was almost a ripple of applause when the referee gave the thumbs up.
AH
Absolutely, that is the way it is isn't it because nobody wants it to be called off. I actually deliberately went down there to have a chat with him myself to see what he was thinking and he put his heel on it, the ground gave a little bit of a give while he was doing that.
So he almost immediately said he was happy because the teams were happy, he was happy that it was a surface that would take a few studs. So I think the lads will probably wear rubber studs, they will have to think about what they have got on their feet, but it is OK for a game a football.
JP
And it is no accident that your three goalkeepers are now warming up over there on that particular area maybe to help soften it up further?
AH
Absolutely yes, all the tricks of the trade.
JP
Speaking of those, a couple of tricks came out of the trade on Tuesday night with that victory, the later comeback for Carlisle United. So often this season it has been the late goals in games, but of course last time United played Leyton Orient it was a late goal that earned them the point that they got in that match down at Brisbane Road, and in the week a late winner for them as well, where has that come from?
AH
Interestingly, I am going to bamboozle you here, me and Greg (Abbott) on the bus on the way home, because it is such a long journey, he hates stats by the way. But I got all my stats pages up, we have scored 30-odd of our 50-odd goals in the last half hour.
So it is something that has passed us by, but it is something that we can do and that shows us that there is maybe a little bit of fitness in there, there is a bit of determination in there. It is a good stat to have on your side knowing that even if you do concede one you can still get something back at the end.
JP
And you forever mention what a lovely guy Richard Offiong is, like the big man Vincent Pericard was as well of course. But Richard Offiong knew that he needed a goal, he knew that he needed to start finding his way forward, have you noticed a change in the few days that you have seen him since he got that opening goal in competitive action?
AH
Moments later I went down to the dressing room to put my kit man hat on and the look on his face, he was staring into space and he had a big grin on his face. I nudged him to wake him up and I asked him what he was thinking right then, he just said that it was brilliant. To do that in front of the away fans, to get his first goal for the club, that is just brilliant.
JP
And what do you think it can do for him and even Gary Madine who came on and had an effect as well. Are they both at this stage in the club's eyes playing, certainly Richard Offiong is not perhaps playing for his future quite as much, but he needs to score more goals, but is Gary Madine at the moment looking to prove that he has a future with Carlisle United?
AH
I think as a striker in particular you have always got something to prove haven't you. I think today you are just looking at the teamsheet now and there is a bit of news that is going to give him the opportunity to do that. It is the same for Richard, these guys, their trade is to score goals and if they are scoring goals the smiles come and you tend to get more goals on the back of it.
JP
I am glad you mentioned that actually because my first glance at the teamsheet, I was about to say it was an unchanged line up but then I can see what you mean. It is the breaking news that Gary Madine will partner Joe Anyinsah upfront and it will be the 4-4-2 for Carlisle United. Very interesting there then that the guy who set up the goal I suppose rather than the guy who scored the late goal gets the real chance in this match, what was the manager's thinking on that?
AH
I think what Greg has done is he has had a look at the way that Gary has come back from Coventry, I think he might have said this during the week as well. There is that look in his eye, there is a little bit of hunger there now that possibly, and I don't want to do Gary down, it possibly wasn't there prior to the loan move.
So in the case of this loan move it looks to have done the lad the world of good. Greg is going to put him in there now and see if he can build on the appearances that he has had where he does really want to get in amongst it. As you have seen yourself, he wants to give everything that he has got and if he does that today then we have got ourselves a real striker on our hands.
JP
Is there almost am argument that going to Coventry and perhaps if it does materialise that he doesn't get that move to Coventry. Has that perhaps shown him what he can achieve if he absolutely gives it his all and maybe we may just see a bit more of Gary Madine's all now for Carlisle?
AH
I think he always knew it and I think possibly a change of scenery might just have showed him what he can do when he puts his mind to things. The way he has come back has been fantastic, it really has been, and I think Greg has been so pleased that he has got his start today.
JP
I have to ask you about a man that has been with the club this week, it is on your website, tell us more.
AH
Yeah, Jordan Connerton, it was the week before last. He was on fire, he was notching towards 30 goals before we had a look at him and to score that many goals at whatever level you have got to think to yourself that perhaps there is a player there.
JP
In half a season this is with Lancaster.
AH
Absolutely, so our scouts went down and had a look at him and said that possibly there is a chance of something being going on here so why not have a look at him. So Greg got him up here, unfortunately the lad tweaked a muscle while he was with us but he showed enough that Greg has already highlighted that this could be one to look at again in the future.