United midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern (J-PM) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 3-2 League One victory at home to Sheffield United, McGovern understandably pleased to have scored what proved to be the winning goal for the Blues :
JP
I think in the interview with Greg Abbott earlier, I said it is arguably the best goal I have ever seen one of his teams score, I mean you see ones when they are cracked in from 30 yards into the top corner but the build up to that as players, when something like that comes off what does it feel like for you all?
J-PM
Oh yeah, it was nice to get a goal, obviously it was a good ball in Murph (Peter Murphy), a little touch round the corner to Lee (Miller), we have been trying to work on that in training and in the build-up play and I managed to put it in the bottom corner.
JP
He has played it right down hasn't he, he has played it right down, come on, it was brilliant play to watch?
J-PM
I only get a couple a season so I will tell you what I really think once the radio is turned off.
JP
Look, when you flicked it through your legs though, back to goal, flicked it to Miller back to goal, when you turned around did you expect him to feed it back to you like that? I mean some credit to him, but the whole build-up to it?
J-PM
I don't know, I think it was a bad touch by Lee, I think if it was a better touch he would have tried to shoot himself. No, no, he is always looking to bring other people in, you saw that with the second goal for (Francois) Zoko, he could quite easily have had an attempt at goal himself, but he has put it across and for my goal he has done the same, put it into my path and it was just easy to walk onto.
JP
The fans always love Francois Zoko, there is something about his sort of winning smile I think as well as his play, but Miller is getting the talk of us in commentary in here. He didn't score, he came in with a flurry of goals didn't he and he looked like he had solved the goalscoring problem single-handedly, but what he does is he brings other people in to score, that must be so key to you guys?
J-PM
Yeah, definitely, especially for my game, I am not going to go down the line and beat three or four players, it is just not my game, it never has been. So, it is good to have a player like that, you can put it into the centre, hold it up, get round the corner, you can get it, play, he is always looking to lay things off and bring other people in. I think both me and Zoko getting goals today proves that.
JP
What does it feel like in the dressing room after getting five points from Preston, Huddersfield and Sheffield United over Christmas?
J-PM
Yeah, I mean obviously we are absolutely buzzing with the results that have gone, we were a little bit unlucky in some of the games, you could say today we have maybe rode our luck with them hitting the post a couple of times. We had a couple of chances but I think overall, I think if you had asked any Carlisle fan, including the manager (Greg Abbott) if he would have taken five points over three hard games then I think you would have been more than happy with that.
JP
The three-pronged strikeforce from Scotland that Carlisle have had with you, Lee.................
J-PM
You had better not mention that, the gaffer does not enjoy you talking about the three Scots.
JP
Does he not?
J-PM
No, no, no.
JP
Well, anyway, we will leave him out of it then, with the three of you including (Rory) Loy when he was playing, you seem to really get on well with each other on the pitch, I am sure that was off it as well, did you come over, were you making a point of sort of saying that goal was for him at the end there?
J-PM
Yeah it was, I had actually put his strip in the dugout if I scored and to show the emotions and everyone jumping on and my family is in the crowd as well, which I have been able to spend New Year with and Rory was there sitting with them. So, I think that was just for him, the number nine, it was the same last week, Lee did a little sign, number nine as well. So, I think Rory knows how much we think about him and how much we are looking forward to trying to help get him back to where he should be.
JP
And is everybody managing to spend a bit of time chatting with him around him making sure that he remains a part of it? Because, he very much is.
J-PM
Well, he has been in my house the last two days for New Year, he is trying to claim for Cranium player of the year, and the board games he is pretending he is not that bothered. But, no, we have had him in the house keeping his spirits up, Mum and Dad, everybody around him, my family is getting around him and Paddy (Madden) was there as well, so we have had a good time and he needs to look to try to get back the sooner the better for us.
JP
Personally as we enter 2012, how are you feeling in there playing lots of games, performing well, being part of everything that is going so well for a Carlisle team that are separated from the play-offs by goal difference alone tonight?
J-PM
It is fantastic, I have obviously come up to try to play football and try to help Carlisle and help my own career. The gaffer took a bit of a chance on me in the summer which was great and I am really enjoying it. The way the manager has got us set up to play, Kav (Graham Kavanagh) is working hard on us on the training ground in terms of getting it down and passing it and getting it round the corner. It really suits my style of play and hopefully I can do my bit for the team.
JP
Big time for Graham Kavanagh and Greg Abbott now, I am sure they are hoping to sign Liam Noble, I know that they are probably looking at maybe some cover for Frank Simek if he is struggling, and for Rory Loy while he is out. But, how important is it to hang on to all the players first and foremost that Carlisle have got at the moment?
J-PM
Yeah, I think it is just that time of year, everyone is talking about who they can bring in and who they want to keep and who they want to sell. I think that is just part of football, we are confident in ourselves and we know what each player brings to the team, including the ones that aren't playing. I think it is underestimated how much of a squad game it is, we have got some great players on the bench, even today you have seen Tom (Taiwo) come in and he played really well, he has been chomping at the bit to try to get back in the team. I thought he was fantastic today covering ground and making tackles etc.
Then you have got Paddy Madden coming up there and trying to get goals and coming in, he has looked very, very sharp in training. So, we have got a good squad here, the manager will want to add to that and hopefully we can and then that will just keep us going. The momentum and the team spirit I think always bodes well when you have got a smaller squad, and everyone is for each other and you want every player to do well and the team to win. I think the manager has instilled it there and it is a great team spirit.