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JP
What did you make of that tonight?
GA
We are pleased, we have worked very hard this week at the training camp, we have done a lot of training and a lot of working in terms of the shape of the team and how we want to play. We have done a lot of set-piece work and it is nice to play like that.
We have done a lot of real hard physical graft so we have had a long week and then to travel up from Leicester today and put in a performance like that tells us that we think we are on the right lines.
JP
We thought 3-0 was about right, it didn't flatter you, but that is not to say that Darlington were a pushover either.
GA
No, I talked to Mark (Cooper) about half an hour before the game and he was really pleased with his players. They narrowly got beat by Sunderland at the weekend and he said they were better than Sheffield Wednesday in the game they drew so he was optimistic that they could continue that sort of form.
But I said that our players have been looking good in training, they look fit, they look sharp and tonight I thought we really dominated the game for large periods of the second-half. We passed the ball terrifically well and had a lot of control, and it was a really pleasing display against what we think will be a decent side this season.
JP
Two key areas that you said that you want to still strengthen, defence and attack, two trialists (Kevin Long and Francoise Zoko) for you in those areas for you today. Let's start with the man from the Ivory Coast, what did you make of Zoko?
GA
I think both the boys have done alright, they have come into the side and they have added something to us and they have given us something to think about. But overall we are just pleased with everybody, the whole work ethic of the whole team. To be fair, when you have got a group of players that work like that it is quite easy to come in as a trialist and look decent, and the two boys have come in and done ever so well.
JP
Have you seen enough from those two now to make up your mind one way or the other, and can we expect that anytime soon?
GA
Well, we will discuss the work they have done over the weekend, and then we will sit down with them on Monday and have a chat with them and see where we go from there.
JP
Onto the rest of the team, it was a very accomplished performance, what were the highlights of tonight for you? What were the things that will send you home the happiest this evening?
GA
I think the control that we had and the domination of the game. We kept the ball really well, we passed the ball really well. It is not an easy surface out there, it looks fantastic but it is just a tad long and the ball is a tad slow moving across the field. But I thought we tried to move it quickly and we got it to good areas and we had some willing people to do the jobs that we are asking them to do all over the pitch.
Starting with Craig Curran upfront, I thought he was absolutely outstanding, his work ethic - he will be a massive favourite and if he adds goals to his game there is a big future for him. We are really impressed with the way he led the line and Gary (Madine) first-half was terrific.
Then behind that the midfield four were brilliant, they were terrific on the ball, and the back four looked as assured as we have seen it for a while. You can only deal with what is thrown at you and I thought they dealt with it, probably first-half more to do than the second but they have dealt with everything reasonably well.
JP
Frank Simek pulled up in the warm-up, what is the latest with him?
GA
It is Frank's first full pre-season in a while and he has got a tight groin. He said that if it had been a league game then he would have said he was ready to play. But we don't need to take any chances with any of the players at the moment. Kevan Hurst has got a tight groin as well, that shows you how we have pushed the boys to the wire in terms of physical energy and a couple of them are feeling it.
So, we didn't take any chances and that was that one, but I think he says he will be back training on Monday, so that is good enough for me. I didn't want to risk him tonight and miss him for two to three weeks.
JP
Has Matty Robson got an injury as well?
GA
He has got a tight hamstring, so basically they are all injuries connected with a really tough pre-season and nothing more severe than that.
JP
The icing on the cake of course for you, the future of Carlisle United arguably, Ryan Bowman and Andy Cook, young lads coming through, both of them came through and both of them scored.
GA
Listen, we want our strikers to score and the two young lads have come on and Ryan has got a wonder goal and Cooky has got a Cooky goal. He is Johnny on the spot, his game was a mixed bag tonight when he came on, he doesn't hold the ball up, he is a little bit untidy in his play but he is a goalscorer.
What we have said is try to tidy your game up but keep doing what you do best and that is put the ball in the back of the net, and it is not a bad habit to have. So, those two lads have had a tough week as well, physically they are still young players but they have worked tremendously hard and it is nice to see them get some reward.
JP
With his injury that kept him of course out of your last game, we are still really to see Sean McDaid tested as a left-back. His attacking play was excellent again this evening but we are sort of waiting for someone to have a real run at him and it never really materialised.
GA
No, but that is the testament to how much domination we had in the game. But Sean will get better for the game in terms of his fitness levels. We were a bit concerned with his tackle, I have told him that he needs to tackle a bit tougher than that, that is the way you do get injured.
It is a pre-season tackle where nobody wanted to make the tackle really, but I think hopefully when the league programme starts we have to make sure that we come out on top of those sorts of situations and we don't get hurt. But he has come through the game great and the 90 minutes will do him the world of good.
JP
Next up is Falkirk on Wednesday, how do you want to move things on and get ready for that one?
GA
We just continue doing what we are doing, there is no great elation at the minute, we just told the players in there that we are really pleased with the progress they are making and we are delighted with the attitude.
That performance tells us we are on the right lines, more of the same again against Falkirk and Hibernian and then let's hope the result goes our way against Brentford, because that is what the six weeks prior to that have been leading up for.
JP
And just finally, more broadly on your attempts to strengthen, are you close, I know you have been away for a week and we have not been badgering you this week, I am sure it has been bliss for you. How have you gone on in terms of trying to build on the squad you have got?
GA
The squad is looking in good shape at the minute and if we can we will. If the right people come along we will try to do something but at the minute we are delighted with the work the players have put in.
JP
Nothing imminent at this time then?
GA
No.