United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 0-0 draw at Spotland against Rochdale, Abbott happy with a three match unbeaten run on the road for the Cumbrians :
JP
Going into this one would you have been happy with a point and are you now?
GA
We are happy we haven't got beat again, after the Notts County performance, or lack of performance, we have had three really tough games on the road, the Oldham, the Bury, I think have Bury beaten Sheffield Wednesday tonight, something like that?
JP
Erm, I have got it on League One, I will put it up for you, it was...........
GA
They are tough games, and we have come and we won Saturday and we have come here and they have again drawn with Huddersfield on Saturday, so tough places to come and we are unbeaten now. We have got a bit of a roll going and a bit of momentum and a bit of belief and we are battling back.
Everybody wants to win a game, Steve (Eyre) will have wanted to win for Rochdale, I wanted to win for us, but I think over the piece probably everybody would settle for a draw as a fair result. We think we slightly edged it and maybe looked like the side that was going to win it if any, and only just. But, it is another performance where we have been unbeaten and we have got to take this all into Saturday now and try to get a result against Bournemouth.
JP
Still not confirmed that Bury have beaten Sheffield Wednesday, I don't know if they are still playing or if we are just late getting that one through, but Oldham have won at Scunthorpe which shows you what a good side you held and beat in the League Cup?
GA
Well, there you are, we think the league is going to be like that. we were talking and Steve was asking what he needed to expect and I said to expect the unpredictable, expect it, when it looks like that is the norm that the norm isn't going to happen. It is different and I think teams in this league this season will all beat each other, and if there is one team that can put a run together and bit of consistency then they might find themselves right at the top end, well obviously they will find themselves at the top end.
But, I think a lot of it will be much of a muchness and beating everybody else and we have got to be now trying to build on what we have done since Notts County and try to get a result on Saturday. If we win on Saturday it has been a terrific start to the season believe it or not.
JP
A very physical match tonight, were you happy with the way that your team scrapped in what was a difficult game against Rochdale?
GA
The toughness is back I think, the toughness is back. But, I thought that although you are saying it is physical and tough, I thought both sides........... I don't think there was a nasty thing in the game, I thought the referee (Mark Brown) was very pernickety, picked up on everything and left nothing and both sets of players I think gave honest tough performances with not a lot of malice in the game.
JP
There was a slightly heart in mouth moment when Lubo Michalik and (Jean-Louis) Akpa-Akpro went down going into the area on the far side, did you fear the worst at that stage?
GA
Yeah, I mean every time the big man goes anywhere near anybody with his size, he is a colossus isn't he, it looks like it possibly could be a free-kick. But, the referee, I think he is probably right as well, let it go, I think they bundled into each other, but yeah, he is one of those that you think he might just give this, it could happen. But, I don't think it was a penalty, well it wasn't a penalty and we move on.
JP
Even though some fans will obviously have wanted a victory tonight, are you happy with how resolute and strong your team seem at the back, you basically limited Rochdale to shots from range in the end, although a couple of them did come close?
GA
I think fans want a victory every........... But, sometimes you have got to put it into context, these are tough places to come, three away games on the trot and we have conceded one goal and we have only been, well we haven't been beaten, so it is encouraging. We can't just come and open up and give games away, we did it too often last season and there was a big tough resolve in the team tonight.
It wasn't as good a performance in terms of our football, quality football, as it was against Bury but we are not going to be able to do that all the time. We have got to have respect for the other teams, where there are a lot of decent teams in this league and like we have just talked about the results, we have got a result at a tough place where Huddersfield couldn't get one, and other teams will struggle when they come here.
JP
In terms of the weekend, back in action at Brunton Park and you will be hoping to put on a display now for the home fans after that Notts County game?
GA
Yeah, listen, we want to take all our good form into the game on Saturday and take into our unbeaten three games and try to get a really good home win which is our first there, which gives everybody the belief and confidence. Like I said, if we do, the season has been a really good start taking away the Notts County thing, or we have put it to bed and we have dealt with it, and we have moved on and we have done reasonably well after it.
JP
I have got a stinker for your last one, a fan has texted in this stat, only one of your strikers has scored in the last 17 competitive matches, is that something you were aware of?
GA
Yeah, I knew that, so what we will have to do is start playing the midfield players upfront I think and drop them back into midfield.
JP
Go for the Scotland 4-6-0?
GA
No, listen, it is something we know all about, we do know all about it, it is something that we are trying desperately hard to improve that situation to improve. Maybe the time has come where we try even harder, but you have still got to bring in one that is better than what you have got, the financial range that we are within and that is what everybody needs to know, and we will keep continuing to do that.
JP
Any injuries coming out of tonight?
GA
Er, no, I think everyone was OK which is good. We can just have a bit of a cooldown now before Saturday and charge our batteries up and really take the game to Bournemouth.