United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 0-0 League One draw away to Sheffield United, Abbott saying he was disappointed that the Blues didn't get all three points:
JP
A point at Bramall Lane, not too many teams would complain about that?
GA
Disappointed we didn’t get three to be honest with the performance and chances and general play. I thought we were excellent, there was only the last 15 minutes when the referee (Keith Hill) decides to get involved in a game he doesn’t need to get involved in and stops our momentum. But, the chances first-half we thought we should have come in 1-0 up, and if we kept playing like that we would get a goal in the game.
But, a lot of determination, especially when we went down to ten men to keep the thing at nil because they are throwing things into the box because we are a man down. They didn’t really create stuff, they just put the ball into areas where we had to be manful and I thought we were very, very good in that area.
JP
What did you make of the sending off of Sean O’Hanlon, the first one in particular, his first yellow looked particularly soft?
GA
It is about time the referees came out and answered the questions you are asking me because I can’t answer that question can I. But, if he is going to get sent off for that there could have been eight sending offs in a game where there shouldn’t even have been a yellow card. It was a terrific game with spirit and determination, not one bad tackle in the whole of the game and he decides to get involved and make a decision that we are talking about.
I don’t even want to talk about him because he was that bad that I don’t think you would ever have an eleven v eleven if that is what you are getting sent off for. Technically, you know something, technically he is probably correct, but practically he wants shooting.
JP
And how much does it cost you when you are as you say probably trying to get that late winner in this game, it almost pegs you back but in fairness to you you brought on the second striker as you tried to still win it?
GA
Surprised you that didn’t it.
JP
It did.
GA
I just think it rocked our momentum in a game where we felt that we had a really good chance right through. It was always going to be a win 1-0 either way the way the game was panning out, but we thought we had created the better openings. Sheffield United territorially put the ball in areas where we had to defend, not through great deals of skill but through the percentage sort of football. We had to cope with that and we did manfully, they have got a powerful outfit with some big strong players. But, I think on clearcut chances I don’t think they had one, I might be wrong.
JP
In terms of your star performances, it was a really good team display today but I thought again (Jordan) Mustoe carried on, but (Mark) Gillespie and Liam Noble, two players who have got reasons to want to prove something really did that today?
GA
I thought Nobs’s energy and commitment to the cause was sensational. I think Mark deserves special praise, maybe I might get a pat on the back for showing we wanted to keep with him and keep the confidence in him and keep believing in him, because we think he is going to be a good goalkeeper. I think today he has shown that when he was needed and it was more dealing with the physicality of the game rather than out and out quality goalkeeping.
But, he did that manfully and we are delighted with him. Jordan I thought was terrific again in the game, coming on now isn’t he and that is what games do for you and experience. You look at their side and it was a really, really experienced side and that is why they don’t make many mistakes, and we have got probably a younger side and they make mistakes now and again. But, today we didn’t make too many and terrifically pleased with them.
JP
Because of the quality of your first-half play Mark didn’t actually have that much to do in goal until that late chance for (Kevin) McDonald that I don’t really know how he saved it?
GA
Yeah, I mean it was one of those games where we were comfortable in terms of defending our goal. We have had criticisms about defending our goal, but I thought today against one of the strongest sides, and a side that has scored lots of goals, we did it relatively comfortably, which is an absolute testimony to the back four and to the midfield who I thought worked tirelessly.
Paul (Thirlwell) in his holding role and Bez (James Berrett) and like I said, Nobs with his energy, absolutely terrific. I thought the two wide players worked their socks off as well, we shouldn’t leave them out because they are important in that system in stopping the full-backs getting on, I thought they did great.
JP
Up until that sending-off, you said that you were maybe disappointed that you didn’t get all three points, were you almost waiting for that moment to really go for it and unfortunately it was almost taken away from you?
GA
We were going to bring Manny (Mathieu Manset) on anyway to try to win the game. We thought the gameplan…………. We had the best chances with the 4-3-3 system, people talk about systems that it is a negative, we had the best chances without a doubt playing that, and we were still going to go and push on and try to win the game, that is what we do. But, you never know how a game is going to work out until you actually start it and see how they play and how we play, and if they got two goals in the first 10 or 15 minutes then tactics are blown out of the window.
But, they didn’t and we have felt that we were always in with a chance of winning the game, and we didn’t come here to draw, I am telling you know, we only talked about winning, and not because it is Sheffield United, because that is what we need to do and that is what we try to do every single game. Sometimes the opposition stop you doing that which is a bit unfortunate, but we did come here with a positive mindset and I think we have been rewarded with a really powerful first 65 or 70 minutes and you will have to ask the referee about the rest.
JP
With that, I mean when were you thinking, when did you have in mind to bring Mathieu on if you needed to in the game there until the referee changed that?
GA
Around or about the sending off, we were getting him ready to come on and then that sort of rocks you back a little bit. After about 70 minutes we just felt and thought that even with the other system we were creating as much if not more than Sheffield United were, so there was no real need to do it with urgency. Would it have been any better with Manny on? We don’t know now, we will never find out, but we just wanted to show that our intention was to win the game.
JP
And you certainly went at it, he seemed like he was a little bit disappointed with the opportunities that he got in those last ten minutes or so that he got there, did he need a bit of an arm around him there?
GA
Well, I hope not because he shouldn’t need it because it is about the team and the club and not about any individuals. I don’t want to have to be putting arms round people so early when today was a tough game where we were actually doing very, very well. You change things when they need improving and there wasn’t a great deal there that was wrong. So, hence that is when you don’t need to make any substitutions. I am not making a substitution because somebody wants to come on, because all seven should want to come on.
JP
Fair enough, and I suppose the broader implication now of O’Hanlon is that you miss him for the next game, which is a tricky and an important game for you next weekend?
GA
Tricky? I will say it is more than tricky, I will say it is tough. But, we are going off the back of two good points really and we have kept a really good side at bay here when other people outside of Carlisle might have thought we might have found it tricky. But, we have got a point and we can build on that and we go to Oldham in a better frame of mind.
JP
Colchester have gone there and got a point today, actually led there as well, that will give you confidence?
GA
Well, I didn’t know that until you just told me so I have not even had any chance to look at anybody else’s stuff. But, yeah, listen, all the games are tough, Sheffield United found this game tough today when they might have thought it was a win for them today. But, their manager (Danny Wilson) knew it would be difficult because they knew we are not going to roll over for anybody.
We will get beat now and again and we will win now and again, but nobody is going to get a given that is three points because it is that team or that team. So, we go to Oldham respectful of them just like we were respectful of Sheffield United and hopefully we can get something.
JP
And what is the situation with Matt Robson, obviously he came off against Shrewsbury and not involved at all today, is it longer-term, what do you know?
GA
I don’t know a great deal but I think it is going to be at least a week until it settles down. So, I don’t think he will be ready for Saturday, hopefully the following Saturday, he will probably miss the Tuesday night as well. But, Andy (Welsh) has come in and done a terrific job, kept the balance for us and probably with his header, headed back across the goal that might drop in the net. A centre-forward might have got that, a winger that isn’t renowned for his heading ability, it might just give him an excuse. But, he has put a hell of a shift in for us and fair play to him.
JP
Dave Symington, was it just his time maybe to be away from the first team?
GA
Yeah, I think he just needs a breather, he has found life tough and it is his first full season in professional football. It is one of them where look at their side, and the reason they are at the top is because they have got an experienced side that has all played 250 and 300 games between them and don’t make too many mistakes. David is in there to make his mistakes and learn, that is what he is doing, there is absolutely nothing, nothing that he should be embarrassed about or worried about with what he has performed and what he has done and achieved this season so far.
JP
And after there have been some days where everything hasn’t gone every way you wanted, to have all your fans at the end, a big block of them all stood up there singing and cheering when the players went over there, it must have been nice?
GA
Well, we need to that 46 times a season and I think even if you get beat but you give a fantastic account of yourselves then you will get that more often than not. I have found that with the fans, I think they are pretty fair and they are pretty balanced, some fans are a bit unbalanced but that is the way it is, that is across the country up and down everywhere.
But, it was nice and they have come and we haven’t ruined their day out, they spend their money and that is important that they have come a long way and spent big bucks and they have seen their team nearly pull off a really good victory.