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JP
A moment of controversy at the end, how disappointed are you to lose this one?
GA
Well very disappointed and my players are on their knees in there. But I am not going to talk too much about disappointment, I am going to talk about the character and the determination of my players and our players, Dennis (Booth) and myself, work very, very hard with them and they work hard for us. Tonight we have showed real tough battling qualities in a very difficult game against a very difficult side to play against.
But we have just talked about all good things in the dressing room and listen, this football club is going to be fine if we can produce that and that determination week in and week out, and we are getting it more often than we are not, we are going to be OK. I am delighted for the players but I am absolutely disappointed for the players as well because they are the ones running around for 93 minutes and got nothing out of a game they should have got something out of.
JP
It was a tremendous effort tonight, how happy are you with the effort of your players in the game?
GA
I have just said that, I am delighted with them, we are pleased to work with them, we are pleased to have them. We know they have got their faults, they have their limitations, but with that desire and that determination you never know where you can go in this league. It is a massive commodity and we are doing it more often than we are not and they are a real joy to work with.
I am only going to talk positives, I have got to be bigger than the disappointment they are sharing because they need us now to big them up and build them up for another tough game on Saturday. But we will do it because that is the type of characters we have got in there now.
JP
Must talk about the winning goal though, what was your view of that goal? Should it have stood?
GA
Well it shouldn't have stood, everybody knows it shouldn't have stood, but it stood and they have won 2-1 and that is it.
JP
What do you feel about that though? Do you just not want to get yourself into trouble basically?
GA
I don't feel anything about it, I feel very disappointed that we have lost a game 2-1 through people not being able to do their job properly. We did our job properly and they have not done their job properly. Saturday in the second-half we didn't do our job properly and we surrendered a two goal lead, but today we did our job properly and we succumbed to a poor decision, that is football.
JP
You had the grace earlier in the season to say these things even themselves out, I bet it doesn't feel like that on a night like this though?
GA
I don't know, I don't know, wrongs don't make a right do they? If they give us a bad decision next week it is wrong because the referee has made another bad decision. But I would rather be on the end of a bad decision and it be in my favour than I would be to get a sucker punch like that.
Certainly the players have kept their restraint very well, it is hard in the 93rd minute to concede a goal and not want to fall out with the referee (Gary Sutton). But credit to them, they didn't and we live to fight another day.
JP
Also in the first half when your new man (Darryl Duffy) went through, got a shot away on goal, it looked like he was wiped out by the old keeper Ben Williams and the referee gave a corner and your players wanted a penalty. What was your feeling on that one? That could have made it 2-0.
GA
You mean it only looked like he got wiped out? Absolutely cast-iron penalty and a sending off. There is no corner because Darryl has poked the ball past him and Ben has got nowhere near the ball and he has absolutely smashed Darryl. If that is not a free-kick then I am sorry, I am watching the wrong game. It is really, really poor, they are the two decisions I am on about, that one and the goal obviously.
JP
It certainly looks like it has cost you, plenty of positives though, in particular the man who got that shot away, Darryl Duffy. But also your other new signing (Ben Marshall) who came on and showed glimpses of what he can do.
GA
Yeah well, we are delighted with Darryl because we have lost Gary Madine this morning with sickness and diarrhea. He has travelled home today on the train on his own to get himself into bed and out of the way of the players and Darryl has done a shift on his own. But you see, he sniffs a chance out, he has put people under pressure, he is clever, he handles the ball well around the box and I think we are going to see goals from him.
Unlucky again even in the 92nd minute when he got through and scuffed his shot, pulled his shot just wide. Ben has come on and he has shown a lot of energy and a bit of pace and strength and he is 18, he is going to get better. Good, if we can get players in that are going to make us better that is the key and on tonight's showing they look like they will do.
JP
A few fans have texted to say again Carlisle failed to defend a lead, but do you think that is a touch unfair on a night like this against a team like this?
GA
I do, and if they had been here, and I don't think it will be people that have been here, that was an absolute bombardment against teams that miss out the midfield and just put the ball in the box. They have two strikers at the end that are 6'4 apiece and it is difficult. We have defended brilliantly tonight and we have been done by a very poor decision.
So let's ask those fans to work with us and come with us on this journey because these players need them and we want to do well for them. If they had seen the effort and determination that has gone into that performance tonight, I think they might be thinking they are a little bit slightly harsh with their judgement.
JP
Going into this match, Carlisle had won eight matches on the trot under the lights on a Tuesday night, were you aware of that and is playing under the lights something you like?
GA
I was because Jon (Colman) told me, so I did say that I wish he hadn't done because it has always got a way of sorting itself out. But listen, it is a nice stat, it has gone now hasn't it. So let's hope we can win another eight on the bounce on Tuesday nights, starting with the one next Tuesday.
JP
Let's talk about Huddersfield now, another away trip for you on Saturday. What do you think going into that one?
GA
I think we have got to produce the same type of defending, the same type of determination, and if we can create the chances we have created like we have done at times tonight then we are going to be fine. It will be another good game to look forward to, they are a really, really good side and we feel like we are an improving side, so looking forward to that.
JP
Very different side from Colchester, although they are up there in the top regions of the league, but a bit more like Leeds in that they play a lot of football and they can punish teams with that. But maybe that plays into your hands?
GA
Maybe, maybe, it will be a different type of game completely, that is why we select systems and different players. Look at the pitch, the pitch is an abortion isn't it, it has had it's day, rip it up, get it sorted out because it is no good for football. But you come here and if you miss out most of it then it plays into their hands a little bit.
JP
I must ask you about Tom Taiwo, a few fans maybe felt again, perhaps one or two who weren't at the game today, that he might have come on and helped shore things up. Is he is just a bit out of favour?
GA
Absolutely not out of favour, but look at that pitch and look at the size of him, it would have been a struggle for him to plough through the mud, never mind have an impact on the game. So he is not out of my favour, he is a dream kid, we love him, we love working with him and he has got a great future with us.
Listen, at the moment he is just out of the team for a bit of a rest, he has played 20-odd games at 19 years old, it is the biggest run of games he has ever had. He is absolutely not out of favour and nor is anybody else, the group we have got in the dressing room are absolutely behind us and we are behind them. We will pick and change teams when we think we need to do that.
JP
Just a few quick further questions, Richard Offiong came on again, another cameo from him but another cameo where he looked quite tasty for you?
GA
Miles better, he has done more in the 20 minutes he has been on tonight than he had done in the whole of the game on Saturday. We were disappointed with him on Saturday, he knows that, we spoke to him, keep encouraging him, keep putting the arm round him. But he needs to give us the ammunition to be able to give him that support and tonight he gave us plenty of encouragement and we are really pleased with him.
JP
Injury situation going into the weekend's game, in particular (Joe) Anyinsah, any chance of him being there?
GA
We are not sure yet, he is going to see somebody on Thursday and they will be able to give us more from that.
JP
And Gary Madine, you hope that his bug will clear up?
GA
Let's hope so.