United centre-half Peter Murphy (PM) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 2-1 League One win away to Hartlepool, Murphy saying that it wasn't the prettiest of games:
JP
I have to say that heroic about sums it up today with Danny Cadamarteri upfront and you and Mike Edwards at the back, I mean a really good effort against a tough, tough task today?
PM
Yeah, I think it is the way they play, you just named three players but it is a team game obviously because you have got to work hard. It wasn't the prettiest of games, I think it was something like an old League Two nearly style of game, just long balls, battling, and you are up against a centre-forward today in Steve Howard that has played in higher divisions. He is very good in what he does. He is a very brutal man to play against as I have come off worse today.
JP
Yeah, there is a lot of blood actually there, we wondered if you had maybe broken your nose, Greg Abbott saying that for a centre-half you maybe are too pretty?
GA
I think he was hoping I had broken my nose. I didn't break my nose, I had to glue my forehead and I lost half a tooth in the first-half so it was a very productive day for myself.
JP
Yeah, that sounds like a classic centre-forward's role then from Howard upfront?
PM
As I said, he is very effective.
JP
A tough customer?
PM
Yeah, you know you try different things, usually you try to pin him but he is so strong that you can't and he moves you rather than you trying to move him. Then you try to move around him and he knows when you are coming and you don't get a clean header, which happened for the goal. I tried to come to the side of him to win a header, he just nudged me so you don't get a clean header, and it is just knocked down and their man (James Poole) ran through and scored. He is very clever, he is very good at what he does as I said.
JP
What did you make of the turnaround for Carlisle United, after trailing for what, 35 minutes, to come back in the way you did, how great did that feel?
PM
Well, we sort of knew that the game today, you know the old cliche that it is a game of two halves, the first-half we were playing against the wind and up the hill. So, out there come the second-half we have got the wind and we are going down the hill, so we got on top second-half and then obviously they had a man sent off (Neil Austin) so we obviously got right on top of them and had a superiority and got our goals from that.
JP
Now the fans will talk about the introduction of (David) Symington and (Mark) Beck and it is right they do because obviously they played very well coming on. But, it is the team that had to work hard to get in that position to stay only one goal in it, I mean Howard hit the bar and it could have been 2-0 and that might have been goodnight in the 72nd minute?
PM
Yeah, they put us under a lot of pressure in the first-half even, but we defended very well as a team, Paul Thirlwell picking up the runs of (Antony) Sweeney because he makes a lot of runs forward off Howard expecting him to win his flicks. We defended very well and then it gets to a stage where if you can ride that pressure then you get on top, and we did that.
We put them under a lot of pressure and then they start backing off and we can play a bit of football, because in the first-half you are having to go long to try to create that space. We got that space in the the second-half and then they are sitting more deeper, deeper, deeper, we get our crosses in, Beck comes on winning little flick-downs and Cadamarteri is great for a little small man, he wins a lot in the air, he is very strong. Our pressure that we put on them told in the end and we got a couple of goals.
JP
The two young lads that came on today and Mark Gillespie in goal, I mean it is just showing at the moment there is some really good youth coming through for Carlisle?
PM
Yeah, I said it the other week, I said it in the paper that we have got a good crop of youngsters, Brad Potts as well and Josh Todd, they look very good. I don't think at the moment maybe they are not ready to play like 90 minutes. So, coming on as especially impact players that you have seen today and you have seen the cup game the other week coming on and definitely making an impact. Symington looks exciting, his technique looks brilliant and then Beck is just off the mould of Howard today. When you come up against a 6'3 lad you don't know what to expect and he looks good and he can score a goal, so it is looking good for the future.
JP
He flicked on off Symington's cross for the winning goal, and Symington's free-kick led to the equaliser so they had an immediate impact. I must ask you about your testimonial, the first thing that I said when you went down with all the blood coming from your face was that that wasn't going to help for your testimonial pictures. How is it going at the moment?
PM
It is going quite well, we have got the game, we have got the golf day on the Sunday 23rd September which is going well, and we have also got the game on the 7th October with the Carlisle United All Stars coming back, which I think will be quite exciting. There are a lot of names coming back, Premier League players that are playing today, so that will be good for the kids I think to come along and see the Premier League players with League One players and the older players that have played for Carlisle. So, hopefully it is a nice and good exciting day and a great day for me as well.
JP
Unlike negotiating it with Carlisle United for commentary rights we will have to negotiate it with Peter Murphy to be down on that day?
PM
Yeah, well I am trying to earn my pension aren't I. I have also got a chance in my game, there is an appearance auction for two people to play for Carlisle United and the Carlisle United All Stars as well, which I am having that going ahead. So, if anybody would like to enter in that there will be envelopes on sale at the club and you can enter into it and give yourself a good chance of playing for Carlisle.
JP
Yeah, I know, a number of opportunities in different ways to get involved with that. Very exciting times for you and I am sure it will be a great occasion for everyone going along to that?
PM
I hope so.
JP
And for the various things you have got on, look thanks ever so much for talking to us, well done today, are you going to have to go and get some real stitches or will the glue cope in the end with that cut to your head?
PM
Hopefully the glue will cope, but with the swelling up later on it will probably open up and I will have to go to the hospital.
JP
Well, the best of luck with that one and thanks for joining us.
PM
Thank you very much men.