United frontman Francois Zoko (FZ) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-2 League One draw at home to Wycombe, Zoko understandably pleased with his late equalising header :
JP
A fantastic goal, right at the death again for you, how happy are you with that one?
FZ
It is very good, I am very happy, but I am happy also for the team, it is a good point today because the other team played very well. But, sometimes draw is better than lose, so we take the good point and it is good for the team, for the morale and for the confidence and for the next game.
JP
Going into the match, second bottom Wycombe, you thought maybe a win but to get the point in the end must have been good for everyone?
FZ
Yeah, it is very good because today Wycombe played very well, I don't think it is the best game we have played all season but you still believe and we took one point. But, it can be a little bit disappointing for the team, but last week we won and this week we take one point, we don't lose. We need to keep going for the next game because it is very important.
JP
Yeah, some big ones, and Preston coming up, you may not know this but Preston on Boxing Day is a bit of a relative derby, a grudge match between the two teams, should be an exciting one to be involved in for you?
FZ
Yeah, it is a good game, it is a derby, I like a game like this because the ground is full, the fans come, it is a special day is Boxing Day. It is OK, but if you want to play high up the table you need to win this game, then we have Huddersfield, the big team, and we are confident for this. Now we know we can beat everyone so we look for this game especially.
JP
Good for you in the last two games to have come off the bench to good impact for Carlisle United, it has really helped Carlisle your introduction from the bench, how are you finding life at the moment not being in the starting eleven?
FZ
I don't want to comment on the choice, at times like this it is the gaffer's (Greg Abbott's) choice, I accept it, I am a professional. Last season I played all the games, this season it is like this, OK, it is difficult I appreciate but it is football. If I have five minutes for the team and my room-mates are very, very amazing because they are good lads, everybody enjoy, when you go on the pitch you want to help your friends, it is football. Now if I have five minutes I do, I start the same and my mood doesn't change, I am just a competitor, I want to play more but it is football sometimes, you need big passion.
JP
Do you feel if you can keep coming off the bench and scoring though then you will get your chance for the full 90 minutes?
FZ
Yeah, the gaffer has the idea of what he does, sometimes he thinks it is better to continue with this team, sometimes he can do the changes. But, I don't think about this, I think about only my body and my feeling because I am still every time fit. But, no, it is OK, I am good, I have a good feeling and if I start I am very happy, if I don't start it is not important, I need to keep going and try every time.
JP
Do you know wherever you are though, on the bench or in the team, that you have really captured the imagination of the Carlisle people, you are very much liked here?
FZ
It is my game, it is my play to do this. but I like the fans because the relationship I have with the fans here is very special and I am very, very enjoyed about this.
JP
How are you spending Christmas? I know that you have got a game on Boxing Day so you won't be drinking too much, but what are you doing?
FZ
No drink, only Coke you know, I like that. But, it is OK, we need to look after everybody for the next ten days because the Preston game is very, very important for us.
JP
But, you have got some friends over with you and your family, so you have got some friends to spend Christmas with?
FZ
Yeah, my family have come here, but I think it is OK, I concentrate for the next game. Sometimes you can forget, today you go with your friends, drink, enjoy eating, but afterwards when you come back you are not fit. We are professional, you know what you can do to stay fit, so it is OK.