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JP
Your feelings about tonight?
GA
It is a big learning curve for our players, a big game and a big test, they have given a lot, they have given me everything to be fair, I can't criticise them in terms of effort and endeavour. We made a couple of mistakes at important times and that has probably resulted in the 3-1 scoreline, but we can take a lot of positives out of the game tonight.
I thought that some of the younger players, it is fantastic that they are learning against one of the better sides, or the best sides in the division. All throughout the 90 minutes we have shown a lot of spirit and determination and a lot of things that we can take forward and be proud of.
JP
What is your reflection on the goals? They are the only difference because in terms of competition, in terms of football, it was quite an even game, but just a little bit of difference at either end.
GA
Well we have made mistakes for the goals haven't we and we have conceded at important times. Certainly the two after half-time, you might have a better view than me but we think the third one is offside, but if you can keep that down to just the one goal then you have got a chance of fighting it back.
But after the third goal went in there was a terrific never say die attitude, we kept fighting, we kept trying, we have shown a lot of honesty and we showed some quality at times at well.
You are looking at the age of our team and the lack of experience, we went in the dressing room, you look in the treatment room area of the dressing room and there is six or seven there that have played 200 or 300 games each. We probably could have done with a bit of that at times tonight but the learning the boys will have had for playing in that game will do a massive amount for their future.
JP
And of course with Carlisle safe in the division this season it is allowing you an opportunity to have a look at players and have a look at different things out there, and of course the injury situation is forcing that on you. What have you learnt about the team in the last few games?
GA
I have learnt that we are going to be fine. I have learnt that there is a lot of determination and a lot of honesty. The spirit is terrific, I know Ben (Marshall's) tackle at the end, he has gone in there and it looks a bit bad but he has gone in there with a massive amount of determination. That is typical of the effort and the commitment the boys are putting in.
To go all the way down to Brighton with the team we had and the age group we finished the game with, I think seven players under 20 on Saturday. It shows that there is a lot to look forward to and we know we need to add to it, we know we need to help that along and we know we need to get some of the injured players back. But the bigger picture is that we think we are going to be fine.
JP
What do you make of Leeds, a side who I know are close to your heart, pushing for that automatic promotion space? Do you think at the end of the day tonight they just had a little bit more to play for on the night?
GA
They are not close to my heart at all, they are just a team that I have worked for. My team is Carlisle United and that is what I am all about, but you can see the strength and depth they have got when they are bringing on the likes of (Jermaine) Beckford and we bringing on the likes of Ryan Bowman.
So that is probably the difference between the two sides, they have got a massive squad and their depth of squad is probably bigger than ours, and they haven't got as many injuries as we have. But they are a good side.
JP
An important night as you were just saying to Jeff (Thorpe) on our way up here with the development of Tom Aldred, who has looked brilliant since coming in for you, but things didn't go 100% his way tonight. It is now I guess an opportunity to see how he reacts to that.
GA
Well, he will learn more from tonight than he has probably done in the first few games, he will think it is a piece of cake. We have been telling him that it will happen, whether it be after 10, 15, 20, 30 or 40 games it will happen. But the people that are here at the club will work round him, the players will get round him, we will get round him, we will encourage him and we will help his development.
But that is part of football and it is part of learning, and it is better for him to have that game now, it is out of the way and he cracks on and he shows us what a good player he can be. By the three games he started with we know there is a lot of potential there.
JP
There have been a couple of games towards the back end of the season where you have played some of the bigger sides, and in your own words you have not quite made them work hard enough for the win. You did make Leeds work hard tonight, how pleasing is that for you even in defeat?
GA
I just think that we are going to be OK. The effort that the lads have shown tonight, the crowd here, they are getting behind us, we are getting that home form back over the season. It is a lot better than it was last season and we are just trying to keep performing and keep developing and keep moving forward.
There are too many things to be pleased about tonight and, you know me, I hate losing, I don't like coming up here and having to make……. I don't like losing but the positives that have come out of tonight have got to be for me that are the things that we take forward from this game.
JP
And what are those positives?
GA
Well, the spirit, the determination, the quality of football we played, the fact that we had got young players playing and giving great showings. Tom's performance that he will learn from and we will find out about him, and we found out we have got a centre-forward (Gary Madine) if he can continue to play like that.
He has upset two terrific centre-halves tonight and he has been a constant thorn in their side all night long. So he has got to keep developing and playing like that and set his own standards. I thought Ben Marshall was terrific in terms of his energy and work-rate and the amount of times he got in and around the last third and put crosses in.
Little Tom Taiwo, makes tackles, wins the ball, gives it away, goes and wins it back. There are just a lot of things to be so pleased with. We know we are not the finished article and we know we are still building. But get some of the injured players back, add a bit of strength in depth from elsewhere to add to that and we think we are on the right lines.
JP
And they are the positives, just to counter that what things would you like to see in the next outing and the outings after that, that the team learnt from tonight?
GA
I will talk about that another time, I am not going to talk about too many negatives, you do that.
JP
Looking ahead to the weekend then, Oldham, that should be a match that you can have a real good go at once again in front of hopefully another good crowd here at Brunton Park.
GA
Yeah well, I think the fans here have seen us play some decent stuff. The Bristol Rovers game was terrific, tonight has been…. We have had mistakes, we know that, and that is something we have to work on.
But if we can keep performing and keep playing like that and showing the same sort of spirit, it certainly wasn't an end of season performance, not at Brighton and not here. We are determined now to win four games if we can and that will be terrific for us.
JP
What about the players who are edging back towards the squad, injuries etc. David Raven in particular getting a chance tonight, how great it was to see him back out there?
GA
David looked really comfortable out there and to be fair he has come in and given Tom a breather and done ever so well, so that is really pleasing for David.
JP
Anyone at this early stage along with David Raven who might be available for you at the weekend?
GA
Nobody has trained so we will have to have a look at that, I think there are a couple back on the training ground tomorrow so we will see how they are and hopefully have a bit more strength on Saturday.