United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 0-0 League One draw away to Exeter, Abbott talking about a point gained for the Blues :
JP
A texter there saying a point away from home is one won rather than two lost, would you go along with that?
GA
Absolutely, and our record here has not been brilliant, and again it is a horrendous journey, we don't talk about that before but you can now. A real positive in terms of another point gained, a clean sheet, chances to win it, they are the disappointments. The only disappointment was that we had chances to win it, probably the better chances in the game.
But, there is a real collectiveness about the group at the minute and I think in times gone by we would have lost these types of games, and I thought there was only one team was going to win it if any and I thought that was us. I hope I am fair to say that, well that is my opinion anyway. But, the honesty in the performance and in the team at the minute is terrific and that is only going to stand us in good stead. We go another match unbeaten and we look forward to the next game now and the next task ahead.
JP
You had a couple of excellent early chances and there was a big bit in the middle of the game where it was sort of all in the middle of the park, and then towards the end it almost could have been anyone's?
GA
Yeah, I mean obviously the game opened up and both teams to be fair wanted to win the game, we made a substitution there and we changed the shape of the side second-half to try to win the game and add a little bit more pace and with a bit more devilment in our play at the top end of the pitch we probably would have won the game.
Lee (Miller) is ruing the fact his headed chance at the far-post missed and Nobs (Liam Noble) is ruing his missed chance and J-P (Jon-Paul McGovern) thinks he should have shot a bit earlier. But, listen, if we had lost 1-0 they would be real, real disappointments and because we haven't they are just disappointed. But, it is encouraging that we can come here and look like the better team and look like we could have won the game.
JP
A big early blow of course losing Peter Murphy, what is the latest with him?
GA
I have no idea, I have just seen him hobble away to the coach but we will have to look at that on Monday, I mean it looked like a spasm in his back, but obviously we were right in the middle of the game and I have come straight up here so I have not even had the chance to speak to him.
JP
I will ask you it in isolation, do you think if a player goes down like that in front of another player, do you think they should play on? Do you think that is the game or do you think maybe they should put it out of play?
GA
In that instance I think the game was in full flow and I think the lad has got to put it in if he can, but Lubo (Lubomir Michalik) made a great tackle.
JP
So no qualms with that?
GA
Oh no, absolutely not, it wasn't as if he was injured and they ran 100 yards, they were running for the same ball, he might not even have know that Murph has gone down injured, he might not even have known that, but as a striker he has to put that in the back of the net.
JP
Fair enough, and in terms of Danny Livesey coming on, he must have been disappointed to be out but he came on and a borderline man of the match performance from him?
GA
Listen, Danny was more than disappointed but they are tough things you have to do as a manager and whether you get them right or wrong, I said that if we get a clean sheet then I have got it right, well we have got a clean sheet and we have got it right, yet he played 89 minutes so he will say it is an argument for him.
But, a terrific lad, a terrific servant to this club and a good person to have around, and he accepted the reasons for it reluctantly but that is what we have to do, make decisions like that. But, I have said to him that when you get the opportunity give yourself more ammunition and to be fair today he has done nothing wrong at all in terms of giving himself a real shout for next week.
JP
Another bright bit of news today was the brightness of Jeremy Helan when he came on?
GA
Yes, I mean he has had to wait long and hard with Rory (Loy's) form, we talked about that in the week but he came on and nearly created the opportunity for us to win the game. He has shown electric pace, a bit of naivety with the free-kick right at the end and they are things you worry about, but you want to see the other side of it, and he has showed it today in his 15 minutes, and we will have a chat with him on the way home and see what his thoughts are.
JP
Was there a little bit of hurriedness in the striking play when some of the chances were coming to them today, could they have maybe got you a goal or two?
GA
They could have done, you know, they certainly could have done, I said with a bit more quality in that final bit we would have been sitting here talking about a victory. But, listen that is what happens sometimes and one goal sometimes leads to two and three, but it is getting that all important first goal, and today maybe it just was a bit of untidiness at the top end of the pitch. But, listen, we know what our players and what they are not, I am not going to criticise them for that, it is a disappointment that we haven't put one of the chances away but that is life and we kick on from now.
JP
One defeat in eight now for you, it is a good little purple patch of form you have found now at this time of the season, how happy have you been with the way it has been going?
GA
We are just trying to get better all the time, we are trying to get a unity within the group, I thought the fans again were brilliant, chanting everybody's name and clapping everybody off the pitch, and they have travelled horrendous........... Somebody has come from Oman and somebody has come from Afghanistan and it is crazy our fans where they come from and where they travel.
I sat with them before the game and we had a bit of a crack with them, but they have been brilliant and that tells you that you are doing something right and that is what I want to create at home. The excitement we have had in the last few games at home has been awesome and maybe at long last the fans are buying into everything, the majority are buying into everything we are trying to do. Like I said, we are going to have some blips along the way, but hopefully it is not through lack of effort or commitment, it just some teams have played better than us on the day and you have to hold your hands up then.
JP
James Tavernier has now completed his time with Carlisle United, what have you made of his spell here? What sort of a prospect could Newcastle have on their hands?
GA
A very exciting one, a very exciting player, looks great on the eye, has done some fantastic things for us and then done some not so fantastic things, ie. shooting from 20 yards when he nearly, nearly just about kept it in the ground, and it is a decent ground isn't it. So, he has got some things to work on but I think he is going in the right direction and hopefully his spell will have helped him and he has certainly helped us, and we thank him and Newcastle for that.
JP
Do you think you have got a chance of getting him back in the New Year?
GA
Well, it is something where we have got Frankie (Simek) ready to come back, we have got Christian (Ribeiro) in so it is something that is not a situation at the moment. We have enjoyed having him and he has been really good for us but let's not dismiss Frankie who is probably only a week away, we will see where he is and if we think we need to do something then we can go back to Newcastle and I am sure James has enjoyed his spell here, we have looked after him and he has looked after us.
JP
In terms of Christian, you have him here and also you had Bradley Potts here with you as well I think I am right in saying, how have they enjoyed being around the squad for this trip?
GA
Pottsy has hated every minute of it because he has made more cups of tea in the last two days than he ever has in his life, so we will have to see. But, we were going to cut his hair because have you seen his hair?
JP
And his blue boots.
GA
He looks like Westlife doesn't he, him out of Westlife, so if he doesn't have that done by the next away trip then I think he is in serious trouble. But, I think he has loved being with the first team and Christian has been around us now so he knows what we are all about and how I am and knows how the dressing room is, and that will stand him in good stead for next week.
JP
And I must talk about next week, of course the FA Cup, great to be back on the FA Cup trail?
GA
You are only talking about it because it is from your neck of the woods, that is all you want to talk about. We will get through our early days of the week and then we will start thinking about that, but I have told them to expect a rough ride because that is a tough place where they will throw the kitchen sink at you.