United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One win at home to Huddersfield, Abbott saying that everyone in the dressing room is on their knees with elation :
JP
You must be absolutely delighted?
GA
Awesome, honestly, we are worn out, we are absolutely........... Everybody is on their knees in that dressing room with elation and the amount of effort and energy I think everybody has put into the day. To send home a really big crowd happy, they have worked so hard, you compare the two squads and the way that they have been put together and the amount of money to be put together and we are batting up against it. But, what you have seen is a fantastic performance from a group of players who have started to believe that they can be up there with the best of them, and deserve to be up there and are up there on merit.
JP
Is it a sign of how far you have come that Huddersfield were almost on for an undeserved point here?
GA
Yeah, I mean I just thought we played very well as well trying to create chances, our all-round play and you are pitching yourself up against man for man and over the pitch I thought we deserved to win the game, and we were as good if not better in a lot of areas than Huddersfield today. Which is an absolute credit to the players, honestly, an absolute credit to the players.
JP
Is the first goal you got, the goal finished off by James Berrett, is that the best goal in your time here? There must have been ten or twelve passes in the build-up?
GA
I have never seen ten or twelve passes before that we have strung together so that is a record in itself. Listen, it was pleasing, it was a great goal, no question about it, it was similar to the one that we scored against Colchester wasn't it, the passing move and the finish. But, it is doubly happy because James Berrett got a raw deal I think at Huddersfield, he couldn't get in the team, didn't get an opportunity, been outstanding for us in his time here in different periods. But, he has got his goal against his hometown club and the club that didn't really want him, and that makes it extra special for us as well. So, I am really pleased for him, pleased for the team, pleased for the fans, pleased for a lot of people, and at about ten o'clock I will probably be pleased for myself as well.
JP
Turned down a celebratory piece of cake as well from Ali Ross who made that one that was coming your way, but you just couldn't stomach it at the moment?
GA
I can't eat at the minute, drink I will be OK, eat, bit of a problem. But, I have got to drive so it will be just drinking some soft water at the moment.
JP
I was at pains in the build-up to talk about what was good about Carlisle United rather than just some of the scary stats about Huddersfield and how few times they have been beaten, and Jordan Rhodes in particular, the best way to stop him is to make sure he never gets near the ball. How on earth did you do that where so many teams have failed?
GA
Well, we did say didn't we in the build-up to the game that if we can keep the ball in the other half it is hard for him to score, and we did that for a lot of game. We denied him space, we denied him opportunities, I think he had one header, one header from a throw-in that is acceptable, more than acceptable. But, I did say that he was very quiet in the game and if that goes in that is Jordan Rhodes all over, he is a genuine threat. But, we have come out on top of that one today and we are really, really pleased with the way we have stopped their big players playing.
JP
Came so close through Jon-Paul McGovern on 67 minutes to doubling the lead, do you think if you had got that it would have been curtains at that stage?
GA
Oh, I think so yeah, the way we were playing, yeah. We were always looking............... It was one of those games where you are playing a really good side and we have got leads before and surrendered them because we have been put under pressure and don't look like getting it back. Today I thought we looked like getting a second as much as they looked like getting a first but it went their way. I still think it was a bit dubious, I am not sure why the referee (Nigel Miller) is over-ruling the linesman for a throw-in and then not giving us a free-kick.
But, you tend not to bother too much about complaining and moaning about that when you have won, but I don't moan too much anyway. But, really, really pleasing, the goal, it actually looked when the ball was going through that he (Lee Miller) was going to score, honestly, I really thought he is going to score this because the keeper (Alex Smithies) is getting nowhere near it. My only thought was that he was might be offside but listen, he has given it and we never saw Lee for 20 minutes after that, the game finished about five past five after his celebration.
JP
What about that goal as well? What a bizarre way to win a match but opportunism at its best if I can say it?
GA
I am not going to grumble about how to win a game of this magnitude. So, I think we will let Lee take the glory, take it, it was a perfect through ball and he has timed his run brilliantly and outjumped the keeper, let's look at it that way.
JP
Danny Livesey with that perfect through ball and some of his distribution was good today?
GA
No, no, no.
JP
It was.
GA
You must have been at a different game, can't be.
JP
It was.
GA
I am going to go back down and tell him that you have gone berserk.
JP
Liam Noble jumped on him from about thirty yards and nearly wiped him out to thank him for it.
GA
No, listen, we know what he is and what he isn't, and his distribution is something that sometimes we smile about it but he is improving, he is working hard, he is a real good professional, he is trying to improve that part of his game. His defending has been excellent and we held out, even though we had to make a change which we wouldn't have wanted to with little Chants (Chris Chantler). I think he has got a broken ankle, a torn hamstring, he has got a cut across his eye, you name it he has got it. He looks like he has been................. Anyway, he looks like he has been right in the thick of things.
JP
In a war. What is his injury? Any idea?
GA
What I have just told you, a hamstring....... No, he has got a really badly swollen ankle and a really, really tight hamstring. So, we have got to wrap him up in a bit of cotton wool. Amazing isn't it, he couldn't get in the team four or five weeks ago, now, I mean you have seen his reception he got when he came off, he is a superstar, take that in the right way superstar. The crowd here love him because of his............. What about his heading? What about his heading? He is about 4'6.
JP
You love that don't you?
GA
And he wins the headers, he leaps like a................ And he just gives us great determination and do you know what, it is a big thank you to Manchester City because they insisted that I take him and give him an opportunity because they thought he was such a wonderful kid with such a fantastic attitude that he would make a career in the game. They persuaded me to do it and that is working well and closely with people, good people, and trusting their opinions.
JP
And just finally, a couple of games now after these dramatic big games against the big boys, you have got Wycombe and then Scunthorpe, just be professional in those games and you are just about there aren't you?
GA
Well, listen, those games will probably be tougher than this because they are both teams that are fighting for their lives. This game takes care of itself in terms of getting yourself motivated, big crowd, it is Huddersfield, great pitch, the right sort of thing to go with it. But, the two games now after this we have got to lift them up and make sure mentally they are right, physically they are right. They have had an unbelievable March, eight games, nine games I think in March and bar the first one on the first day in March I think we have gone four and three, four wins and three draws, sensational March and fantastic credit must go to those boys.
JP
Seven undefeated overall, sixteen consecutive matches without defeat at Brunton Park, not bad is it?
GA
It is great, honestly, it is about time people did say how well that this group of players has done and go with a bit of optimism and belief. Like today, they actually dragged us over the line again, they were really good the crowd today, it is amazing, 7,500, it is not a massive crowd, it is for us, but it is amazing what impact it has on the players and everybody around the place.
JP
A good recent crowd and hopefully then coming on Easter Monday another good one here for what might look a less glamorous game, but you need them?
GA
Just as important, yeah, just as important, and we probably might need the fans more next Monday than we did today. But, I think, listen, after that I think they will turn up, I am pretty certain they will be turning up.
JP
Do you want to take your rice crispie cake away and have it later?
GA
I don't want a rice crispie cake, Alli, thank you very much for the cake but half a lager would have been much more sufficient. But, like I said, I have got to drive, I am going to go back to Wetherby, I am going to put my feet up, I will probably be asleep for ten o'clock. I talk a great drink but I shall be in bed I think by about quarter past ten.