Jeff Smith Talks About The Crewe Game

Last updated : 20 January 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Jeff Smith
United midfielder Jeff Smith spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey as he talked about the 1-0 win at Brunton Park against Crewe on Saturday afternoon, Smith chatting about his now role on the right-hand side of Carlisle's midfield :


" I think you can say job done really, we've done what we set out to do at the start of the game, which was win the game, get three points and keep us up there really. We were a little bit disappointed not to score in the first-half but we knew that if we did what we did in the first-half then surely with the law of averages with 30-odd shots you are going to get one. Joe (Garner) popped up with that one so we were happy in the end.

" It was nice to get it pretty much early in the second-half because after battering them really for 45 minutes in the first-half, having numerous chances but not scoring, it was always in the back of your mind. To get an early goal it lifted us but I think we sat back a little bit after that, which I don't know how that happened. It sometimes happens but in the end we won the game so we are happy with that.

" I think that from a supporters point of view once we had scored that first goal I think they expect us to go and win two, three and four which sometimes happens and sometimes doesn't. It didn't happen today but we won in the end so we are all delighted with that.

" I used to live quite close to Crewe actually in a place called Nantwich which was right next door so I know a lot about Crewe. It's nice to play the teams you are associated with having lived so close and with it being a bit of a derby at my former club, so it's nice to get one over on them.

" It's something different for me, I've never played there before, I'm just learning the ropes really on the right because it is totally different with me being left-footed. Normally if I was a right-footed player on the right-wing I'd be going down the line. Because I am left-footed though I tend to come in more inside on my left foot and try to whip them in that way.

" I thoroughly enjoyed it though today out there and hopefully I have given the gaffer (John Ward) something to think about. Their left-back (George Abbey) was right-footed so it was a bit of a strange one. Going into the game with me being a right-winger and left-footed and the left-back being right-footed it was an interesting contest.

" If you look at the players in the past they have brought through like (Luke) Varney that they sold to Charlton and they sold the Welsh player (David) Vaughan, he went off to Spain to Real Sociedad. So they are like a development club and that's how they survive and make their money, they are not going to splash out hundreds of thousands on players but they have got a good set up there.

" It's a totally different game when you go away from home, it's hard to explain but when you are playing away from home the onus is on the home team to come out and attack you. There are not many games where you see an away team absolutely batter a home team, you are always getting a fair share. We did alright at Doncaster, we weathered the storm and that but it was just one of those unlucky things.

" We've got to try to put it right, we've got Cheltenham on Friday night, they have won their last three games so that is going to be a tough one. Especially for the gaffer going back to his old club it puts another little bit of extra spice on the game. We just had a look at the table in the dressing-room there, we've got SKY Sports news on so we had a look at the other results in our league seeing that Doncaster beat Leeds at Leeds. "