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JP
You must have gone through every emotion under the sun there?
GA
I think I am certainly growing up as a manager aren't I after Saturday where we were all upset. We have had a tough couple of days where we have sat down with each other and we have asked questions of each other. I mean the staff and the players, we sat down and we got here yesterday, maybe gave a few home truths to the players - what we expect and what the levels are we looking at.
Then tonight you get that, 3-0 up, magnificent start to the game, I was just saying to the MK Dons people here that we are never going to win a game 3-0 because that it us isn't it, we make life difficult for ourselves. At 3-3 then everybody in this stadium apart from our lads and the fans that were magnificent probably think that we are going to get beat.
But we have probably played our best football again at the start and the end of the game, we were on top and had great chances to seal it 4-3 or 5-3 even. I don't think anybody can begrudge us it although the MK Dons people will be upset that they haven't got a result.
But we need it more than them and I think we have as dug as deep as we possibly can for that tonight and it is testimony to everybody at our football club and the couple of hundred fans who were here who were magnificent. It gives them something nice to talk about in the pubs and clubs or the coaches or wherever they are now.
But it was special tonight really because it has taken us to the height of ecstasy and to the depths of despair if you like and then back up to wherever we are. So that is an amazing game of football.
JP
You described this one as must win in the build up and you came and won it, how important was that for everyone?
GA
It is massive, I think maybe not so much the win, it is the way we approached the game and the determination that we have shown as a group and as a football club. I have said that largely this season our performances and our play has been good, we weren't happy on Saturday.
I have responded, my back-room staff have responded and my players have responded. Sometimes when you do the things we talk about you find yourself getting rewards and tonight we have got our rewards. Whether we were a little bit fortunate or lucky or didn't deserve it or what, I don't really care too much, I think we actually did.
But we have got a reward for an honest performance and we made mistakes again, we did make mistakes in the game as well. But we have shown a lot of bravery and a lot of courage tonight and that is what the Carlisle fans want and that is what they were grumbling about on Saturday.
I carried the can on Saturday, took it all on the chin and hopefully we have answered a few questions, there is a long, long way to go before we are anywhere near where we want to be. But it is a good result and a good night for the football club.
JP
How important a marker is it though? The fact that you have come back from the disappointment of the weekend and the strength of character to come back from surrendering a 3-0 goal lead to still win. How important could that be for the season?
GA
I think it tells you everyone is still together. I think it tells you that the football club is largely on the right lines. We talked about progress, I said that dented our progress on Saturday, this has probably done as much good as Saturday did as much bad. So hopefully in the space of three days, that is the loveliest thing about football, it has levelled itself out all over again.
JP
And there were some fans who were very unhappy after the game on Saturday. What is your message though, the positive message for all those fans who came down tonight and those listening in Cumbria who will be delighted with this result?
GA
Listen, we have got to stick together, we have to stick together. Those fans did, they clapped them on and they clapped them during and they clapped them off. It shows that there is something to be optimistic about and there is a lot of determination within the camp.
Listen, the fans have a right to question what went on on Saturday because I was doing the same thing as them. When they level everything at me it hurts and it does get a response, it would have got a response whether they level criticism at me at all. But we did it, we have bounced back, three days and we are back on a level and people now must take heart from that.
JP
Defending at times, you can't have been entirely happy with that?
GA
I know, there is always a negative with us at the minute but the game was that open, it was one of those games, maybe it was a freak game in terms of goals. But we know we can do better defensively, they are a handful their players but we caused them probably more problems than they caused us. But they did have a spell either side of half-time where it was like the Alamo, and we have made a couple of mistakes for the second and third goals.
But apart from that I have got to look positive tonight, after the problems we have had at the weekend I have got to look in a positive vein that the players are back and they are with it. We have got to produce on Saturday now, we can't be one week this and the next week that, Swindon and MK Dons, it can't happen as far, the gulf in quality in both games just can't be there. We have got to try to do something about that.
JP
Another great reply though from you as a manager and your team in adversity.
GA
Listen, the chips were down for me personally, I was very low over the weekend, I have hardly spoken to anybody. I have been not good company, I have been not good company with the players yesterday really. I was, let's say I was as angry as I have been since I have been in the post. Because they represent me and tonight hopefully they have represented me in a more true light, one which is probably courageous, brave and one that is very determined.
I think they showed all that tonight, so tonight I am probably a decent manager, Saturday I wasn't a good manager. But we have got to do better over a period and I don't want to take much patting, those players have performed. They have gone across the white line and done the things that are hard, and that is score goals and stop them at the other end. We have done enough to win the game tonight and that is the key but there is still room for improvement on the pitch.
JP
A change of goalkeeper tonight, talk us through that and tell us how you felt he (Adam Collin) did?
GA
I thought the goalkeeper has done well apart from the third goal where it is an indecision between him and Ian (Harte). You can look at it again, Ian maybe should have cleared it, Adam could have come off his line quicker, but he made some good saves. He works very hard, had a terrific performance at Chesterfield, it was in my mind to give him a game and I felt the right time was to make a couple of changes.
I think both of them have come off, Adam, although he has conceded three goals has not made many mistakes, his handling has been good from the crosses late on. Then Kevan Hurst has got his goal and has put in a tireless performance on the right-hand side.
JP
And also there were a couple of saves in particular from Adam Collin, he comes in, Tommy (Cassidy) says he has got a reputation as a shot-stopper. In particular the one off (Jason) Puncheon was an unbelievable save.
GA
Yeah, but they are supposed to do that aren't they? He is supposed to do that. No, it is a brilliant save, it is coming through the wall, he is a big lad isn't he, 6'4, 6'5 or whatever he is and he covers a lot of the goal. He has got a big hand and turned it round the post. Listen, it is a baptism for him and it will give him the confidence to say this is where he wants to be and now those two are fighting for that number one position, which is fantastic for us.
JP
Tom Taiwo sent off late on, disappointing that, what is the situation?
GA
Well we thought they had got the wrong player for the tackle but he (referee Gavin Ward) is saying he delayed the taking of the free-kick, which is a lot of rubbish. It is a lot of rubbish to be honest, that is really disappointing in the last minute and now we are going to lose him on Saturday.
JP
So it just one game isn't it, two yellows.
GA
One game yeah.
JP
It is. Adam Clayton seemed to have a picked up a knock as well.
GA
Yeah, I am worried about Adam because it is a knee thing and sometimes, it was a kick initially when I think he did a block tackle in the first-half. We kept him moving at half-time but within five minutes, or ten minutes it was, he said he was struggling. But obviously now with Tom's situation we need him fit.
JP
Could be a bit short of options there, Dennis Booth maybe?
GA
Erm, no.
JP
Thought not, and just finally of course, Norwich, weekend, later game, FA Cup game, broadcast online, sort of televised, big match.
GA
Do you know what? I haven't even thought as far as Norwich at the minute, this was massive for us tonight and we are going to digest this one and have a nice journey home for a change. Then we will think about Norwich maybe tomorrow morning at about nine o'clock when I wake up. But I think at the minute just let me talk about this because it has been a big one for us, mentally and physically for everybody, but certainly there is a lot of effort gone into that performance tonight.