Stevenage boss Gary Smith spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio after his side's 1-0 League One win over Carlisle at the Lamex Stadium, Smith saying he thought the game is what everyone is in football for :
"It was very exciting, and this is what everyone is involved in football for. Big games, it is getting closer to the end of the season, Carlisle were a good side and I thought the fans got behind us well tonight. The occasion when two good teams are coming together is exactly what everyone is after, and the games just get bigger now.
"I was disappointed at half-time because when you have a bit of pressure and you are creating good opportunities then you want to take advantage of that. My worry was that we had had a very, very good first-half and as expected I thought Carlisle were a very good side and they came out in that second period and they looked tighter in that midfield area.
"They slowly but surely started to show all the signs that have given them a top six placing, and at that point maybe you are thinking at the back of your mind as to whether our best opportunities have passed us by. But, John (Mousinho) comes on, the messiah gets on the pitch and gives us the lift.
"I thought his goal was just desserts for our performance, all of the elements that you are looking for to get yourself back into not only the chase for the top six, but hopefully to do well in the play-offs because that is what we are charging on for now.
"So, you are looking at an unbelievable save by Chris Day from the corner, the defenders are under immense aerial pressure in the last five minutes and have stood strong. We have shown I think pace, we have shown guile, and I think most importantly of all in the first-half especially we started so brightly and some of the football in the first-half to create those opportunities was just fantastic."
"We got it out wide nice and quickly with both full-backs, I mean Jamaal (Lascelles) has come in at right-back and for a young lad with not a lot of experience, certainly not much at right-back, he has shown a wonderful edge to him in that area. I thought he was absolutely fantastic tonight at right-back, looked comfortable on the ball and looked assured defensively.
"Then Scott (Laird) in the first-half was as bright as I have seen him in a long time. It has been a long, hard season for some of these guys and I think to a man in those opening 25 minutes it was as energetic and as passionate as I have seen in a long time, and a performance that showed everyone that we are really going for this and we think we have got a chance here.
"We have two home games left, our form has picked up, two clean sheets and I think Pat (Patrick Agyemang) has come real good at a great time for us. He looks his old self, he is full of desire and strength and individually he is a real lift for everyone when he gets on the ball.
"Fingers crossed we have found a bit of form at the right time, of course we can't affect Notts County now but what we have done is put them under some pressure, and don't count these guys out of the picture either, Carlisle, because they have got a tough game at the weekend but they will certainly feel as though to keep pushing on and keep battling away then they might well find themselves in the spot they want to be.
"Because, when the pressure mounts, and tonight when the pressure was on we have come good but when the pressure mounts it does strange things to people. But, there is something about evening games as we all know, the game is a bit quicker and under floodlights everything seems to be that little bit sharper.
"The atmosphere, I don't know whether it is just the shadows seem to block out some of the empty seats but it always looks like the ground is full, and the atmosphere was absolutely wonderful. I thought the fans here today gave us the sort of support that certainly we are going to need at the weekend. But, we were worthy of the victory and of us to be pushing for the top six."