United media officer and first team kitman Andy Hall (AH) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Newton (PN) ahead of Carlisle's League One match at home to Dagenham & Redbridge tomorrow, Hall first talking about the latest state of the Brunton Park playing surface :
PN
Obviously good news on the pitch after the covers were lifted this morning?
AH
Yeah, very good, I think last night's temperatures were even better than forecast, so that certainly helps. But, the covers went on, I think you guys will have seen it after the Sheffield Wednesday game last Tuesday night, and again that has helped because the layer of snow that went over the top of it effectively acted as another blanket. So, we have come through it, it was an unbelievable cold spell but we have come through it and as is stands the game is on.
PN
Yeah, I was talking to you at the ground yesterday and at that point it did look a bit touch and go didn't it?
AH
Yeah, it was cold, we were in the hands of the temperature, but you have seen temperatures that I don't think anybody has seen in the month of November/early December over the last week or so. You have got to take that into account when you are trying to make a prediction, but what happened last night with those temperatures disappearing and then rising again is almost unbelievable. But, it put us in a good position where we will get ourselves another home game.
PN
We keep hearing about this thing called the Geo-Fleece, just explain for the benefit of those who maybe don't know what it actually is, just tell us what it is and what it does?
AH
It is basically an innovative design that has come from Cowens down in West Cumbria, where they have got themselves a blanket in effect that covers the pitch. We use it mostly in the shaded areas of the pitch at Brunton Park, and what it does, you have got to be careful with it because what it will do is it will trap the temperature that is in the ground once you lay it over the top of it.
So, if you happen to lay it when there has been a cold spell that is what you are going to keep in there. So, it does have to be used wisely, you have to use it at the correct time and in the correct manner. But, so far the ground staff have got it right and we have managed to get ourselves some games on, when otherwise we would probably have struggled.
PN
Yeah, and what about the outlying areas around the ground ahead of tomorrow? Any problems there?
AH
No, well even the car-park was looking good by mid-morning early afternoon. Because, again, if you looked at it yesterday you would have thought absolutely no chance. But, the thaw was dramatic in the way that it came and it has really helped us out. So, we will give an update on all of the outlying areas in the morning, but as it stands everything is looking good.
PN
In recent weeks there have been restrictions on parking down there, any likely to be enforced tomorrow?
AH
We are going to have to look at it because if it is boggy or anything or dangerous like that because of the manner of the thaw then we would have to assess that on its merits. So, again if you can bear with us on that one until the morning then we will let everybody know.
PN
OK, Greg Abbott has already said this week that he was desperate for this game to go ahead, I guess that is a feeling prevalent throughout the club is it?
AH
It is for everybody, it has been a battle to get the training sessions on this week. We have been down to Morecambe, we were up at Newton Rigg today, and that is just to make sure that the lads got some quality time under their belt ahead of the game that we hoped is going to go ahead. Now that it is going ahead it shows that it was even more important that we did that.