United manager Graham Kavanagh (GK) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 1-0 League One defeat away to Sheffield United, Kavanagh saying he thought the Blues gave their absolute all in the game:
JP
Very close against a very good Sheffield United team, but just couldn’t quite get the winning goal, what do you feel tonight?
GK
Very, very proud of the players, I thought they gave their absolute all. I thought they caused a very good Sheffield United team, who are probably the most form team in the country at the moment, a great deal of problems. I know at the end Nigel Clough was very pleased to hear that final whistle because I think we were the team attacking their goal looking like we were going to score.
But, it wasn’t to be, maybe a little bit of lack of sort of experience if you like in the key areas and that game know-how to get a goal. But, I can’t fault the players, I am very, very proud of them and again, as they have done in most games, they gave their absolute all.
JP
And you talk about that form, their tenth win on the trot, they have beaten Championship sides in their cup run, they clearly are a big threat, you must be very happy that it was a slender defeat even it had to be a defeat?
GK
Well, I am never happy to win games but there are ways to lose, and that is exactly the way we should be losing games if we are going to lose. Tonight we were very much together, showed a great deal of commitment, a great deal of work-rate for each other, sometimes a little bit of a lack of game know-how and experience. But, when a club like ourselves are missing three or four senior players who would play it is always going to impact on results and the group.
But, the young lads who have come in, the signings I have made, they have thrown themselves straight into it and they have played actually very, very well, so I was really, really pleased. But, I have to say all credit to a very good Sheffield United team, they were obviously nowhere near at the start of the season and Nigel has come in and done a great job, so good luck for the rest of the season.
JP
On the other side of that slender margin of course, you mentioned a few of the decisions and it was just a couple of decisions that might have actually got you this point here tonight, just little decision making in that final third?
GK
I thought you were referring to the referee [Carl Boyeson] to be honest, because he was absolutely useless, him and his officials. I probably shouldn’t be saying that but it is reality, there was a situation right at the very end of the game when it was a goal-kick, he waited on the call of the fans and they called it as a corner so he decided to give a corner.
It is difficult, it is always difficult coming to a big club, big atmosphere, big stadium, big crowd, you need things to go your way. I thought the application of the players was first class but we just couldn’t get over the line and one or two decisions may have gone our way on a different night.
It wasn’t to be but we did have chances, Brad Potts had a great chance first-half and there were a couple of chances in the second-half that went across the goal. Just very, very pleased for the players, they have adapted in such a short space of time to what we have asked them and we have to dust ourselves down and go again Saturday.
JP
Yeah, just so you don’t get yourself in any further trouble, we described the performance of the referee as awful, so I don’t think you need to say anything else on that point. Looking at the positives if you like going into Saturday now, there were some people and I think the bookies as well expected you to come here and get absolutely turned over. Does the way you performed even if you couldn’t get the point you were after, does that really give you confidence now ahead of a crucial game against Stevenage?
GK
Yeah, it does, it has to. I came into the dressing room after, I went to see the referee and had a word with him, which was a waste of time. But, anyway, I got into the dressing room obviously a little bit late, the players were deflated and a little bit down, very, very quiet and I just asked the question why? I am very, very happy that they are down because we had lost the game, but the manner in which we lost and the way we lost, the performance we put in was exceptional and we caused them more problems than they caused us.
We just couldn’t put the ball in the onion bag and it is disappointing, but we should take a great deal from it and as long as the players can give us that same level of energy on Saturday and we can add a little bit of quality to it, especially in the key moments and the final third then I am sure we will be OK.
JP
I know you have mentioned briefly the impact of your new players, two young lads making their debuts, you must have been happy with them?
GK
Done very well, Reece Brown came in and looked a class act, he lacked game time and he lacked minutes but I think he is going to be a good signing for us. I thought James Pearson came in and played particularly well, he is a very good young up and coming full back who is intelligent and knows how to defend, he gets up against people. But, I am not going to single them out, there were a lot of good performances.
I think the key part of the game which cost us the goal was from the middle part when we gave the ball way four or five times from our midfield players, which was sloppy and that is disappointing. But, it goes back to the same thing again, if you keep asking questions, you keep getting in the right areas and you keep trying to do the right things then you are going to get a positive outcome. So, we were unlucky tonight, disappointed, of course we are but we will regroup tomorrow and then on Saturday I am sure we will try to give our absolute maximum again.
JP
Is there more bad news on the injury front with Liam Noble?
GK
Yeah, I don’t know what the story is, I really don’t know what the story is with the injuries, we are having a disaster. Liam Noble has done his ankle, I am not sure what length of time he is going to be. It has just been incredible, it really has been incredible you know. We have got Paul Thirlwell who I can’t tell you how long he is going to be, Sean O’Hanlon a couple of weeks but we keep saying that, Matty Robson is seeing a specialist tomorrow and we are hoping to get some good news on that.
Mark Gillespie as well has been down at St George’s Park and he is not ready at the moment. So, it is getting tight with the squad players and we are getting down to the bare bones, but we have just got to make do and we have just got to make the most of it.
JP
And just finally, we have just been trying to gee up the fans and say how important this is, the first of a few cup finals now for Carlisle on Saturday and I am sure you will echo that?
GK
Oh, massively, massively. I mean the one thing I felt tonight coming to a stadium like this was when they were under the cosh with 25 minutes to go everyone around the stadium stood up and got right behind their team. It became intimidating, it gives the players a lift, you saw their players rise to the occasion and actually give that little bit more, especially after the difficult outcome on Sunday.
That is what we need, I am sick of hearing all the moaning about we are not going to the ground because of this reason or that reason, if you are a Carlisle fan get yourself to the stadium, support the football club, make the most of what now and the end of the season will remain. If you want to come and have a moan then have a moan, do whatever you need to do.
But, I am hoping it is about time that people actually get behind their team and be proud of what we are actually trying to do and be proud of Cumbria and the football club. Let’s try to make it a fortress that we do enough to stay in this league at the end of the season.