United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One defeat at home to Hartlepool, Abbott saying that the Blues lost the game because they conceded two stinking horrible goals :
JP
How do you explain how you have lost that one today?
GA
Erm, we have tried to find the words in the dressing room, there were a lot of positives in there for the players but we have lost it because we conceded two stinking horrible goals you know. That is a big disappointment, we can't give teams goals and expect to win games, I mean we might have done even, even still we could have won the game even giving two goals.
Because, chances created were just unbelievable and how we haven't scored more goals than we have, and if we score the first one we could be talking about a really big victory here, because we were so much better, so much more in control of the game throughout. But, goals change games and Hartlepool have got their two and you have to compliment them on that and they have defended and battled and fought for their lives, rode a bit of luck but they walk away with points.
JP
Individual or collective mistakes for the goals you conceded?
GA
Erm, they are more individual aren't they, we haven't cleared our lines for the first one and we have stopped playing as we were thinking a free-kick might be given for the second and not reacted to the second. But, they are just soft goals and they are poor goals.
JP
When you are working so hard to try to get goals, and you were unfortunate not to get the lead, a fantastic save from (Francois) Zoko, but how do you legislate for those things?
GA
Well you can't can you, that is one of those things in football that when you are on a little bit of a milky run that is what happens you know. We have just got to keep playing the way we are playing and keep trying to put things right and keep trying to encourage the players to get in those positions, the balls going in were phenomenal, we have got to get on the end of it. We got on the end of quite a bit today as well but couldn't find the finishing touch and eventually you get punished and you can see it, when you don't go one up you can see them scoring because that is what happens in football.
JP
We talked in the build up to this game about having games where sometimes you know that it is not going to go right for you, it looked for all the world like it was going to but for those sloppy moments in the first half?
GA
I thought we played some great stuff, first half especially, actually we probably played better in the first half than we did in the second in terms of pure football and getting the ball wide and the way we passed it was brilliant. But, then we have to throw a bit of caution to the wind, we got a bit desperate but we found a goal, then I still think we are going to get something out of the game and we just couldn't that find that second one.
JP
Just looking at my pad there you can see how many chances, you are on the left look, you have managed to create for the team and not managing to take them?
GA
Well, listen, that is a bonus isn't it, if we create chances like that and play like that then we are going to win games, that is a certainty. But, we have to put them in the back of the net, take advantage of our better play and really benefit from it. Today we are absolutely devastated, on other occasions we have come and I have said up here we have probably deserved to get beat, in the games we have got beat we have been second best. Today I think we are awfully disappointed not to get anything out of the game.
JP
And we know stats can mask certain things, but five defeats out of your last six league games at Brunton Park, it didn't look like you were a team under pressure today but are they struggling a bit at home?
GA
No, you have seen us play, 50-odd crosses and 20 proper chances in the game, that is just one of those days today. The stat is not good, the stat doesn't read great but I would say today we have probably deserved to get something out of the game. That is just one of those days where the world was against us.
JP
In terms of what one fan has said after the game today, they said why is it taking a telling off at half-time at times to get them playing?
GA
No, I thought we played really well first half to be fair today, I mean if you look at the chances created probably you have got to be awfully upset as a manager not to go in at least one goal up. What we talked about was not the style of play or the quality of the play, it was the defending that was dreadful. Whatever goes on in front of them they have got to make sure they keep the ship clean and keep that back door shut we and we don't concede, if you do you put pressure on the team. We would have won the game if.......... because we would have created one of those chances and scored one the longer it had gone on. But, conceding two has near enough killed us.
JP
This was a game where you would I am sure have really wanted to get something out of it and I am sure you will admit that Hartlepool weren't the best team as well that you have faced this season out there?
GA
No, listen, that is double disappointment isn't it, if you get beat and you deserve to get beat like probably most people would have said last week you sort of take it a bit easier. Tonight, I won't sleep well tonight thinking we should waking up tomorrow with 13 points and we have only got 10, and that is painful.
JP
And you have now got two very tricky away matches (Tranmere and Chesterfield) to go, I bet that is a big help for you?
GA
Yeah, that is football, that is alright, that is what you have to do, but the players have to............. We all as a group have to just bounce back and be tough and be hard to beat on Tuesday night. But, listen, we go there knowing we can play and we can produce and we can score goals, sorry, and we can create chances, we have just got to make sure we score.
JP
What do you need to happen in one of these games now to get you out of this little run that you are in all of a sudden?
GA
We just.............. I think we are going over and over it, we have just got to score goals when we are on top, there was not a great deal wrong with the football today. That was one of our strongest sides, we could make one or two alterations to it if you wanted with a bit of personnel. But, we looked a decent side today, we haven't put the chances away and it as simple as that, you get hurt.
JP
I have to ask you then, do you have to look if you continue much longer without getting those goals from somewhere then?
GA
I don't think you would change too much after that, if you had been poor like we were in other games you have got major problems. But, I think we have got to run with that, if you create the same sort................ We will play worse than that and win this season without a doubt, we will play worse than that and win the game so I can't really knock the way we have played and the type of football we have produced, but you have to score.