Alex' manager Steve Davis spoke to his club's official website after his side's 0-0 League One draw against Carlisle at Brunton Park, Davis saying the Railwaymen could have won the game had they taken their chances in the first 30 minutes:
"I thought we more than deserved a point tonight, we could have even won the game, had clear openings in the first half an hour, and I thought we were the better team in the first half an hour. We opened up very well and had good possession, good play, good opportunities, sometimes we could have got shots off and we didn't. Then they came into a little bit at the end of the first-half in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the game.
"But, we defended well, we defended the crosses well coming into the box and that is the work we have been doing. It showed tonight the defensive work that we have been doing over the last month or so, it really got us that result in the end. In the second-half they were going to come out and have a little go, we weathered an early storm and then I felt we had good opportunities again, hit the bar and again were a little bit shot-shy of the target.
"It wasn't for the want of trying though, I felt we created opportunities, they hit the post from a cross that came in but they rarely threatened. They had a fantastic shot (from Brad Potts) in the first-half that the keeper (Alan Martin) made a good save from from distance. Other than that they hit the post but there weren't too many other moments.
"I felt that we defended well, Alan saved low to his right from (Danny) Cadamarteri, who was probably their biggest threat but on the whole pleased with the 0-0. I thought it was not a boring game but a decent game, but we have waited 58 games for a 0-0 and now we have had two in the last three or four games. We have done everything we can to try to win the game, and with a bit more fortune we would have done."
"Matt Tootle did well but he is not used to playing that type of wing position, but he makes the same sorts of runs as he does from full-back, just a little bit further up the pitch. When he gets in there he has got to be positive and get a shot away and I felt a couple of times he passed the buck a little bit and could have been a bit more positive and assertive with himself.
"You never know, he might have popped a goal in, he can do it, he does score goals in training, can score goals when he gets up there, but he didn't fancy it I don't think tonight. He did well to get into those positions, but a little bit more care with the little pass on the outside to Max (Clayton) and we might have got a better opportunity first-half.
"When it opened up for him he could have had a go but he wasn't the only one guilty of that, Byron (Moore) and (Luke) Murphy got into the box first-half and decided not to take the opportunity and delayed it a little bit too much. But, we played some good football and we defended very well and I was really proud of them, it was a really good performance tonight.
"I said at half-time that a little bit more care with the passes, the intricate play was good, the movement was good, the combinations were good, but it was just that final pass in the last third and the ability to take an opportunity. We just lacked that killer edge in front of goal tonight, but I said to them that if they keep creating chances and opportunities like that then be more positive and hopefully they will go in for you."
"Obviously, we would have liked to have won one or two of the three we have just drawn, I set my target of winning tonight and Saturday and with another draw it is important that we try to get three points at home against Orient now. But, they are looking strong and they are defending very well, it is just in an attacking sense we need to just have that killer edge.
"Carlisle have been a team that has been up there and have been in this league for a long time, and we are just adapting and getting used to it. But, there was nothing between the teams, the young players are progressing nicely and improving each game. So, they are getting a certain amount of belief and there is a resilience among the group so I am pleased, I am more than pleased with their efforts and they have gone four unbeaten, so that shows how they are adapting now.
"We haven't got a big squad, you look at the bench and we have only really got Adam Dugdale with any experience, the others are very inexperienced lads that haven't had first team opportunities yet. So, from that point of view you are gambling a little bit with putting them on, I was going to put Brendon (Daniels) on but I was a bit worried and concerned about the defensive side of his game that he might not fill in a position that we needed.
"So, from an attacking sense it was a decision of do I go for it or do I just hang on in there and try to get what we have got. I didn't want to lose the game, and whilst I wanted to try to win the game I also didn't want the lads to lose it because I thought they deserved and earned a draw tonight, and rightly so."