|
" I'm delighted, obviously as Greg (Abbott) said in the programme notes, it is a tough trip for us, a long away trip, but we prepared properly. I thought that the players made sure that that preparation didn't go to waste and we played well tonight. The chairman put us in a hotel last night - it's a heck of a long trip.
" We stretched our legs in the morning and I said to the lads that we've already had back-to-back wins of late - it's time we had two more. They've done that and I'm delighted for the travelling fans. There'll be a few smiles on the way home tonight. That was the best footballing performance we've had since I've been here.
" To be fair, Carlisle are attacking at home, they do get crosses in the box and that certainly proved to be the case, they put us under a bit of pressure early on. We didn't deal with it early on, we didn't stop enough coming in and when they came in we didn't deal with them very well. The early save (from Joe Anyinsah) was massive, if Jamie (Jones) doesn't save that then all of a sudden we go a goal down, we could have been two down I think.
" Because I think that (Graham) Kavanagh has had another good chance where he (Jones) has dived away to his left. Then even after we had scored our goals, I think that big (Gareth) Taylor had another header that bounced down and over the bar. So to be fair to Carlisle they created three very good chances and didn't take them, two of them down to good saves. Then we flourished and we settled down, got to grips with them and played some great football.
" To score three goals away from home is very good. The second goal, I think that we just had a look, apart from a few balls bouncing about it was 23 passes and everyone touched the ball. Then we finished it off with a great cross and a goal, it's a pity you only get one goal for it! It's very pleasing because I've seen football on the training ground that's as good as anything in this league. "
" It's important that we produce that on a matchday and that second goal certainly was top quality. There was passing, there was movement and if you keep doing that, in the end gaps will open up. It was a great cross in and Scotty (Scott McGleish) has got on the end of it. So I am delighted with the lads tonight.
" We try to play one-touch stuff and the pitch was fantastic tonight, to be fair our own pitch is a bit lively and we struggle sometimes. Fair play to the groundsman (David Mitchell) though, it was in fantastic condition and it wanted to be moved quick and early and nice and we did that. So thanks to him and we are delighted that we used the pitch so well.
" I think that missed chances can be that tight in this league. Those first one or two chances, if Carlisle take those then it is a completely different game. What you have got to do though is once those have not been taken you have got to then find the belief in yourself to go forward, which we did.
" Before I came there weren't many goals and now we have got two, two and three so we are looking to create and we are looking to go forward and looking to get the ball down and pass, but you want to keep those clean sheets. So I was disappointed really for the lads at the end because I thought that after the shaky start we defended very, very well, so I am just disappointed for them that we didn't get a clean sheet for them.
" I was delighted for Simon (Church), he's a smashing lad who has come in and worked hard on the training ground. He does an awful lot of unselfish running for the team and him and Scotty are a handful for the opposition. The third goal was very important at the time and it was an excellent finish from Simon for it. "