United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 1-1 draw at home to Plymouth, Abbott saying that it was one of the best performances of the season from the Blues :
JP
What are your overall feelings on tonight's result and performance?
GA
On the performance, it is probably one of our, and people might think I am deluded with this, one of our best performances of the season. Do you know why? Because, it is very, very difficult after Saturday with that mental thing in your mind to come out here with a low crowd, with a low atmosphere, with a lot of pressure on you to perform like that. We started nervously in the game but as the game went on I thought we played some terrific stuff and we will probably count ourselves a little bit unlucky.
When I say it is our best performance, I don't mean in terms of the fluency of the football, I mean the character of the group and the way they have bounced back. You have to bounce back quickly after a thing like Saturday because the longer it goes on without your win or without a point or without a performance then you get really edgy and it becomes harder and harder to get. But, tonight they have shown a lot of character, we have got some real young players in our group and we have got a real togetherness in our dressing room.
They need to be proud of themselves tonight and we want to thank the fans tonight by the way, the 3,300 fans, I have to say a massive thank you to you people who came and clapped everybody off because we needed you tonight. We know there are missing fans and we know they are saving up for Wembley and we know that times are hard here, and we know that Manchester United were on television. But, a massive thank you to that 3,300 people that came tonight and cheered us and clapped us and encouraged us, because the players needed that after Saturday.
They know that they were poor and that we underachieved and as a group we didn't offer too many excuses because it wasn't the right time. But, I will in time offer some explanations as to why that might happen every now and again, not as a six-er but as a type of performance with the group we have got. But, tonight, fair play to them, let them take the credit of the togetherness and the way they have stuck at their task, which is a difficult thing to do after that type of performance.
JP
Let's talk about that reaction from the fans again, I did wonder when you lose a lead at home after a game like Saturday, but the fans clapped long after the players had all left, that must have really warmed them in the dressing room?
GA
Because, we have probably got........ We know we have got a bigger base than 3,300, we know that because there is a group going to Wembley probably quadruple times of that you know. But, what we have got is a group here tonight that supported the team and we needed that, believe that, we needed that tonight. To be fair there was nothing to be too downbeat about, yes we have conceded a goal and it has cost us two points and we are disappointed with that.
But, that happens in football, they have got nine six footers, 6'2 plus players in their team and we knew set-pieces would be a problem, we thought we defended them terrifically well all night. Adam (Collin) to be fair to him hasn't had a stick to do in the second-half bar pick that ball out of the back of the net, and we feel like we should have been given a second goal to give us that bit of a cushion.
We didn't get it but we are looking at that performance and that reaction tonight as probably more important than the actual result because it was vital we got that type of thing out of our system, and we got the players to believe in themselves again. Because, they are young players and they do lack sometimes confidence and we are trying to instil that, and every game and every point and every performance they put in improves that, they will improve from it.
JP
As you pointed out, they were a little bit nervy to start with as you would expect, do you hope that you have used this game to get that out of the system ahead of the weekend then?
GA
Yeah, well we have got two big players back for us haven't we, we have got Lubo (Lubomir Michalik) back who needed the game, Thir (Paul Thirlwell) I thought needed the game. But, you can relax a little bit more with that type of player in your team because you know what you are going to get more or less week in and week out. With the type of players we have had and the age group we have got, sometimes there are inconsistencies there and you are not sure what you are going to get.
But, we are going to continue working with these players and I want the supporters to buy into that group of young players and see how they develop and help them, because the last thing they need is criticism of a magnitude. I will take criticism because I can take it, I am 40-odd now years old and I have been in the game a long, long time and I am hardened to it.
But, the players need the support because they are babies, the more senior players like the Thirlwells, he went through a horrible time here didn't he with the criticisms and the people saying is it (Tom) Taiwo? Is it Thirlwell? Look how important he is to us, we have missed him and we have missed Lubo and tonight at least defensively we looked a lot better. Frank Simek miles better, Matty Robson miles better than they were on Saturday, we win headers and then we win second balls in the middle of the park because we are winning the first one at long last. But, they will all improve and like I said, to the fans tonight thank you very much.
JP
Almost more scouts than directors in the directors' box tonight, do you think many of them will be here watching the young number 14 for you who is having some season and had some game again tonight, Ben Marshall?
GA
No, I don't think they will be watching Ben Marshall, not at all.
JP
That is the hope anyway, what about the weekend then after a game like this? What about that one? Chris Lumsdon is shaking his head at that one away to our right.
GA
They thought Lummy was playing, they had come to watch Lummy.
JP
What about the weekend then? What do you hope to do because they are going to be a side who are going to come here and ask you a lot of questions, in really good form Bournemouth?
GA
Who do we play?
JP
Bournemouth.
GA
Bournemouth, it is a long time, it is four days since I have had a smile on my face. Listen, Bournemouth, good side, work hard, they have done unbelievably well. But, that will do us the world of good tonight and we have got the game in the belt for Thir, we have got a game in the belt for Lubo, we should be even better on Saturday. But, we know it is going to be tough and we know we are going to have to be at our best to stop their good run of form.
But, they have had a little bit of a blip just of lately so we need to get stuck into them, but I think tonight the fans have got to enjoy the response that they got from the players. I know it wasn't a magnficent performance, I would be going stupid if I said that, but it was a terrific reaction and response from the players in what was a difficult circumstance. But, Saturday is another game, this will give them the confidence and hopefully they will come out with a little bit more belief and even start the game better and go on to better things, and let's hope we can win the game.
JP
Any knocks out of the game tonight?
GA
Little Tom has got...... When he got kicked for their foul that led to their free-kick which I can't believe, again, we think it is harsh, on his ankle, but he will be alright, he will be OK.
JP
And a returning defender of course in Liam Cooper back from his suspension, it will be nice to have whichever one you choose, a bona fide defender on the bench for the first time in a while?
GA
Yeah, you know, and this is where we need the help from everybody to give everybody an understanding. I won't come up and make excuse after excuse, but we didn't have....... Steven (Swinglehurst) is not quite ready yet, Steven Swinglehurst, he is 17 (ed - 18) and he is the only recognised defender I had on the bench. Both Liams' (Cooper and Noble) suspensions and the injury we have had to Lubo and Thir, they are big misses and we have not really ever had that complete squad. But, it looks like co-incidentally it is going to be around-about the Wembley time that everybody is going to be fit and ready, which is usually the case.
JP
Your overall feeling though tonight after the weekend is that it may only be a point but you are happy with the way you have rallied?
GA
I am delighted, I am absolutely delighted for the players because I know how difficult......... I have been a player, a lot of the crowd haven't been in the situation where they have got the........... 3,300 tonight believe it or not were the eyes of the world to those players because they are there looking to see if there are many more weak links, any flaws in that performance, and to be fair the boys rolled their sleeves up, showed a lot of heart, a lot of bottle, a lot of determination.