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JP
What is the feeling after that goalless draw today?
DB
It was a cracking game, the second half was very end-to-end. I enjoyed the game really, we are disappointed that we haven't come away with a win. We nearly snatched it at the end, the goalkeeper (Owain Fon Williams) made a fantastic save, it may have been a little bit harsh on Stockport to be fair.
But they have stopped their rot if you like with their 12 games that they had lost, five new players in the side so that has obviously given them a lift and we knew this was going to be a banana skin today.
These games are very dangerous games so when we had Scott Dobie sent off and went down to ten men we were hanging on a little bit. The referee (Chris Sarginson) evened that up when one of their boys (Jabo Ibehre) got sent off for I believe a late challenge. But we tried to win the game, we didn't win the game but we had a hell of a go at it and in the end we have got a point, which a point is better than nothing.
JP
On the balance of chances, Stockport had some good chances themselves, but on the balance Carlisle did create more, and there is always that risk that pushing for the win you can lose the point you have got. Are you satisfied with a point on the balance of the game itself?
DB
No, you are never satisfied with a point, we want to win the game, we are disappointed but the game has finished now. We can't go out there and score again so we have to be satisfied with a point in that respect because that is what we have got. But we are disappointed to have not won the game, that is what we try to do, whether it is Stockport or whether it is Charlton or one of the top sides, we try to win the football game.
We haven't been able to do that but we are certainly pleased with the effort at the end to try to win the game, but you can get caught out which a couple of times we nearly did. But we hung in there, clean sheet, another point, we march on to Exeter on Tuesday night and try to win that one.
JP
Key moment in the game, Scott Dobie, I think it will go down as violent conduct, it was a bit of a silly slap rather than a punch to the face I think, but it will go down as the same infringement, will he be fined for that?
DB
I don't know, we haven't seen it, it looked very harsh. This is the problem nowadays, it is difficult for referees, some things you get people punch players but you can't raise your hand apparently, and if Scott has done that then there is not much we can do. But overall it is soft, I don't like to see people sent off even it was the opposition, I don't like that. You will see it tonight, Saturday night, where some people are pushed, shoved and nothing happens and then you get it again.
I think everybody is a little bit unsure of what happens with some of the rules, the inconsistency that goes on. But we have to take that on the chin, he will get suspended, we will have a look at it but I couldn't really see, I saw him raise his arm, I don't know whether he has caught the boy (Danny Swailes). It looked as though the boy was having a go at Dobes pointing at him but I don't know, I can't comment on that until I see it.
JP
A lot of yellow cards in the match today, the game wasn't that dirty really was it? Do you think the referee in the end got a bit card happy?
DB
Well I can't criticise referees can I, but you thought it was a local derby some of the things were so violent, but it was a good game, two teams having a go at it. But I can't comment on referees, I don't want to anyway.
JP
There is an argument as well about a failure to beat a bottom of the table side, but how do you feel about that Stockport side because they are much improved. I think fans who were here, the best part of 5,000 here today will realise that they weren't really the side that has been beaten twelve on the trot.
DB
No, well it happened a few years ago when I first joined the club with Paul Simpson. I think we went twelve on the trot and then won the game here, beat Torquay United 2-0 and looked a hell of a good side. But we had introduced different players, Andy Preece had come in, Matty Fryatt, and it does inject something, those five players that played today haven't suffered the disappointment and got that in the back of their minds that it is here we go again.
So it has freshened them up and they look good signings that Gary (Ablett) has made. They will be difficult, nobody is easy and those five players that he has brought in, he will be pleased with them today. I believe last Saturday (Tuesday - ed) they did very well against Swindon and were unfortunate to lose that game.
So that is going to give them a massive boost, they have not suffered the disappointment, they are fresh and looking forward to playing probably regular first team football which they haven't been doing. On today's performance they will give people a few problems.
JP
Ten or twelve chances on goal though, how frustrated are Carlisle that you haven't managed to break them down in the end?
DB
Well you are always frustrated, if you don't score goals you are frustrated. The save at the end was a magnificent save from Adam Clayton, it was a world class save. But you can't do any more than that, the goalie has made a save, the problem with us, if we don't create chances then we are disappointed. We have created chances today and unfortunately they haven't gone in, but on another day those chances will go in.
In the end we nearly got a sucker punch which can often happen in games like that where you are pressing and having a lot of chances and then they break away and hit you in injury time, which has happened to us before this season. So we will take some positives from it, we had a go at it, we tried to win the game and we couldn't win it but we haven't lost it.
Exeter is the next one, we will go down there, we are going to try to win at Exeter as we always try to do. It is nothing to do with home and away, we will go to Exeter and we will try to win the game. If we are right, if we play as well as we can then we are capable of winning that game as everyone knows, because we have beaten some top sides this season.
JP
With only 5,000 here today, a lot of people won't have been at the game today and obviously they are going to look at that report in the morning and they are going to see a failure to score against the bottom of the table. Which again will highlight the strikers for those fans who perhaps weren't here. But do you think that sometimes the rest of the team has got to make sure they give the strikers more service to make sure those strikers can have those chances on goal?
DB
Goalscoring is about the team, everything is about the team. If you are conceding goals it is not your goalkeeper or your back four it is everyone. The same at the other end of the field, if you are scoring goals then everybody takes the credit. You can't just blame individuals, we are a team, that is what a team is about.
Yes we haven't scored against the bottom side in the league but we scored two against the top side in the league on Tuesday so which way do you look at it? That is two goals against the top side in the division, that is football, that is what happens, we certainly try.
If we were not getting in those positions then we would be disappointed but we tried to win the football match today, and give credit to Stockport, they have held out and got a 0-0 draw. We move on, we move on from that, we can't do anything about it but we can do something about Exeter City on Tuesday night and we are going to go down there and have a right go at it.
JP
The transfer window is slowly running out, I know your boss Greg (Abbott) is more the man to talk to about this, but are we closer to anything happening in or out? For instance Gary Madine of course has played for the club again today.
DB
We are making enquiries all the time, we can't splash loads of money about, everyone knows that but I have been to games, we have all been to games and we have got two or three players in mind that we possibly can get. If we can get them and it suits the club's finances then we will do that.
But we are not Leeds United, we are not Southampton, Charlton, you name them, we are Carlisle United and we do our best to get whatever is right for this football club. We are trying very hard and hopefully in the near future it won't be long before we have got someone in the side.
JP
The feeling amongst fans is that if it is going to happen in this transfer window, as in more signings for Carlisle it will be later on now after the signing of Tom Taiwo and (Adam) Clayton of course. We are going towards that, are you just looking at the moment or are there some players that you are trying to get signed?
DB
No, there are players, we have made enquiries to clubs, one or two need to get back to us. We have been positive, probably a bit unfortunate that maybe someone is not in at the moment. But we are looking, we are always looking.
JP
Can you tell us in what area?
DB
Not really no, we are just looking to improve the side if we can. Sometimes just buying players doesn't mean that you are going to improve the side, but that is football. We are looking to improve Carlisle United, even if we were top of the league or wherever you try to improve it. If the players come along and financially we can bring them in and it is good for the club then we will do that.
JP
Finally, a long old trip as you mentioned to Exeter on Tuesday, how is the squad shaping up ahead of that one? In particular Ian Harte seemed to take quite a nasty knock.
DB
Well I have just come out of the dressing room so I don't know, but that is what our lads are good at, they play football matches. They travel hundreds of miles, which we have talked about before, they get on with it. We will go down on Monday, train en route, get down there, they are good lads like that, they don't complain, well there is no complaining is there, you have got to go to Exeter anyway.
So they are very good like that, they are a good bunch of lads, they just get on with it. We will go down there and I am looking forward to the game because I think we can go there, well we are going to go there and try to get three points. There is no going away from home and all this business about getting a point away from home, we will go and try to beat Exeter.
JP
I will complain on your behalf, it is a pain in the backside that trip, what an absolute monster it is.
DB
Yes, it is a long one isn't it but they all are aren't they from here.