Paul Thirlwell Talks About The Match

Last updated : 20 April 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Blues midfielder Paul Thirlwell
United midfielder Paul Thirlwell spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey on Saturday evening as he talked about the 2-1 defeat at home to Southend United, Thirlwell suggesting that Carlisle are more than capable of getting the results that they need against Millwall and Bournemouth :


" I've got two thoughts at the minute, it was nice to get back on the pitch but it was a bit of a nightmare in the way that the game panned out in the end. By our own admission we probably weren't at our best in the first-half, but the gaffer (John Ward) has changed it around and brought Gaz (Gary Madine) on and I think it fired us up to start the second-half. We came out and played really well, got the goal and I think the turning point is obviously Rav's (David Raven's) sending-off.

" I think generally when a side doesn't play well I think that the first reaction is that we weren't at the races, and that the players aren't doing this and aren't doing that. To be fair to them (Southend) they played well, looking at the pitch it's not the best, blustery conditions, they were just hooking the balls on. I think possibly with them having a couple of lads upfront they had a bit more to play with when the ball was going forward. Consequently when we were getting it forward we only tended to have Danny (Graham) up there and we couldn't really get a foothold in the game.

" The gaffer and Greg (Abbott) have recognised that and changed it around at half-time, and I think that was the difference. We came out, we got the goal early doors, and then unfortunately the referee (Anthony Taylor) has decided to send Rav off. Obviously I'm going to be biased but I was warming up at the time and had a great view of it, for me he has taken the ball. Had he caught the lad (Nicky Bailey) in the manner which he caught the ball then I think that he would have been off the pitch injured. We were well on top, we got the equaliser and I think if anything we were going to push on and win the game.

" We've got to be positive, to be fair we've gone down to ten men and you wouldn't have noticed it. I think that just towards the end there I think the lads have got a bit leggy from the massive effort they have put in in the second-half. The gaffer has just said to us there that we didn't deserve it, we didn't feel like we deserved it. If you look at the league table though, we're the team that is in second, we're the team that is two points ahead and we're the team that if we win two games then we get promoted.

" That's the way we are looking at it, we're more than capable of going to Millwall and getting a result, as we are at home to Bournemouth. So we've just got to get back in, focus, assess what injuries we have got with the likes of Reidy (Paul Reid) and what have you, and go again next week. I can't speak for Reidy, but as soon it happens, it's always, your first reaction is that you are going to be out for a while. We'll see what it's like on Monday though and hopefully it's not as bad as first thought. "