United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-0 League One win away to Doncaster, Abbott delighted to get all three points:
JP
The champions elect in some people’s eyes have been humbled here against Carlisle United?
GA
Yeah, terrific tonight, from one to eleven and twelve, I thought Danny Cadamarteri was back to where he was at the start of the season, I thought he was terrific when he came on. But, right through the team everybody has done their jobs, it was a difficult playing surface and difficult opponents but we played the surface and then we played the opponents. We got the game-plan absolutely spot on, we knew we would have a lot to deal with in terms of set-pieces. But, right from one to eleven they were absolutely terrific tonight, really were.
JP
Another of these away matches where you feel if you can just stop them scoring that the home fans will turn on them and it will start to go your way?
GA
Well, yeah, I mean that is what you try to do, the last thing that you need to do with a team that needs two wins to get promotion is to concede early, and with the physical players they have got and the quality they have got throughout the side then it could be a tough night.
But, right from the start we just looked comfortable for some reason tonight, and without being disrespectful one little bit to Doncaster we actually won a tad cosily, which is fantastic for our players. They defended the goal really well and I think it was only set-pieces and long throws and free-kicks into the box that caused us any problems, but you have seen us defend absolutely tremendously well tonight and protect our goal really, really well.
JP
He has had some great contributions going forwards Jordan Mustoe, his best performance for Carlisle just as a defender tonight?
GA
Yeah, I mean thought the two full-backs were outstanding. Brad Potts has come in from nowhere and had a real wobble against Francois Zoko, our old boy, at Notts County. But, we have been sort of telling him don’t put the fact away that he can play right-back or midfield, and he has just looked like he has been playing there all his career. How can he look so uncomfortable against Notts County and then the last couple of games he has looked really, really decent.
Jordan has just got better I think with all the pitch-time he is getting and all the games he is getting. It just shows you these kids playing in under-21 football, they need to get out and play because his game has come on I don’t know how much percent. But, he has certainly looked a really, really decent player tonight.
JP
You have properly made someone for Roberto Martinez to think about there at Wigan, he has come here at 22 and you maybe wonder how much longer he will be there, but he is a player?
GA
Well, he needs to play football regularly. Hopefully if he does go back to Wigan he gets in their team, but he needs to get now on the pitch. I don’t know what his future is but we have talked to him and I will talk to Roberto as well to say the thing is now that he needs to keep developing. Because, he needs football, at 22 he has got to be playing regularly in somebody’s first team. The reserves and the under-21s and that sort of stuff is no good for him anymore.
JP
We have got to talk about Liam Noble, man of the match, one goal a bit of fortune, with the second nothing like?
GA
Yeah, no, I mean I am just so pleased for Liam and if we can get into Liam’s head to develop his game and the other side of his game and the standards he has set this last three matches then he could be a really, really top player. He knows where he is and he knows he is going to keep getting us on his case because we think there is a really good player in there and I don’t think he, up to the last three games, has been showing of his best.
When he gets around the pitch like he was doing today and he shows that energy and that determination and that drive then he is a really, really good player at this level. He has got the ability to really make us a much, much better team and we look forward to him developing and getting better, and he is finishing off this season absolutely top, top drawer.
JP
What does it make you feel on a night like this for those fans who have been here tonight, it was 259 Cumbrians came to watch this one, what do you feel like for them?
GA
Well, we have said all along that we want everybody, the fans at home and away, to enjoy watching Carlisle. I think tonight and the last four or five games they have been terrific, the effort and the determination they have been fantastic. We have had obstacles this season, Lee Miller back in the team playing and occupying the two centre-halves like he has tonight gives us a platform to get our midfield players forward.
I thought the midfield three again before Thir (Paul Thirlwell) goes off were really dominant and really bossed that area of the pitch. The shift in terms of energy that Andy Welsh and Jon-Paul McGovern are putting in now, it just makes us better. We just looked a decent team, we have looked a decent team in the last few this games and probably this season is winding down at the wrong time for us.
We have been looking for this spell earlier on in the piece, earlier on in the season, but listen, it is coming now and it gives everybody optimism and encouragement for next season. We are I think, when everyone is fit, and I have been saying it all along, a pretty decent outfit.
JP
One slight gripe that comes out of games like this, and a couple of fans have picked up on this, it is only a slight one but does it make you wonder what might have been when you can get this sort of performance from the team?
GA
Well, we haven’t had everybody fit have we, we haven’t had Lee Miller fit, we haven’t had people like Matty Robson and Chris Chantler out of team, and Sean O’Hanlon hasn’t been there has he. So, we are evolving again, we are evolving again and it is a gripe but it is a gripe where we have talked about the obstacles we have had and we have talked about the missing of key players at key times. Unfortunately we haven’t had the finances to replace them with that type of quality and it really puts us on the back-foot.
Look at Tranmere, top of the table by six or seven or eight points even with games in hand and they get two or three major injuries and resources won’t allow them to go out and get that quality and they have dipped like a stone. We suffer as well, but listen, if we can keep everyone fit and keep that quality in the squad and keep the basis and the nucleus of this together then we can go forward and be a good side.
JP
Paul Thirwell, any news on him, doubt for the weekend?
GA
He has just had a baby hasn’t he right, and it looks like he is going to look after that baby for the next two or three games. Lummy (Chris Lumsdon) says he shot him halfway through the second-half. He doesn’t need shooting at the minute does he, but it looks doubtful now doesn’t it. But, he has put in a shift, an important shift, and he has been really a key to the last five games.
If he is not fit Saturday then we will miss him because he plays an important part for us and again, he is so important on the pitch to other players round him. Not necessarily what he does with the ball, but the way he cajoles and runs and understands the game and gets other people playing, and he will be a miss.
JP
Congratulations to Paul Thirlwell by the way on that baby, and just finally, after a great result like this and a great night for Carlisle United, really good to have such a big home game coming up at the weekend?
GA
Yeah, well they have won again tonight haven’t they, so both teams can go into it and be as aggressive and as attractive as we possibly can, you watch, it will be a boring 0-0 draw now. But, let’s get down now and sort of pat the boys on the back for the run they have had in the past five games. I think we have been to the three games, Doncaster, Sheffield United and Oldham away, not many people would have backed us not to get beaten in those three. So, it is a real, real pat on the back to the players and everybody else connected with the club.