United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 3-1 win away to Chesterfield, Abbott understandably happy with his side reaching the area semi-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy :
JPYou must be happy with that, I have had a text from Ian, a Carlisle United fan, it says pressure, what pressure?
GA
We might have to play always under pressure because I think that is the situation we are in at the moment. Because we are a club that is trying to go forward and at the minute we think we are doing OK. We are trying to stave off that word because I don't think it does anybody any good.
The supporters that have been here tonight will have seen a really good performance, and this is a good side by the way Chesterfield. A side right up at the top end of League Two, I think they have only lost one in about ten or eleven so it is a terrific performance and some good goals and we are all going home happy again after Saturday.
JP
We picked out your new man Adam Clayton as the man of the match, just for the way he uses the ball, two touches all the way through, control and gone all the time and he got his goal. What do you make of his display?
GA
You mean he only had two touches all game.
JP
No, two touches every time he got the ball.
GA
Can we have an argument or a laugh over this one? No, he is good player, that is a midfield player's role isn't it, get it, give it, go and support. He moves the ball quickly and he has got an eye for a pass, he is competitive as well, he has got legs and he has ended the game with a goal. It will be his first senior goal and we are really pleased for him, but we knew what a good player he was and we think he is a really good addition to the squad.
JP
And you mentioned that Chesterfield are a good team, but 1-0 down, in commentary we were saying - Carlisle haven't done much wrong here aside from maybe a slightly rash decision on the penalty, what was your view on that?
GA
We thought it was a penalty and it is a bit of inexperience on Tom (Taiwo's) part, but that is what he is in for, to learn. It is one of them where you have just got to make sure there is contact, the pace that the player is going at, any little nudge and he rolls over then the referee is going to give a penalty.
But we have said exactly the same message at half-time, we have done nothing wrong, we have had the best chances, probably should have converted at least one of them. If we had gone in at levels your devils we are OK, we weren't upset with the way we had performed but again, we need to make sure chances when we get them that we are a bit more clinical. But we did that in the second-half and we end the game very pleased.
JP
Overall on the match, how do you feel about making sure that you got the result that you wanted out of this one? Because at 1-0 down, it seemed to take a while to get back into it, but when you did, how you did.
GA
Well if you had seen us screaming and shouting in the dugout you would know how much we care about it and how much we wanted the result. We are not bothered whether it is Johnstone's Paints, FA Cup, World Cup, UEFA Champions League Cup, whatever, we want to win every game we are allowed to play in.
The boys have put in a really good performance, there was no question of going through the motions, there was no question of anybody not being up for the match. Their players as well, it was a competitive game played in the right manner, very decent I would think to watch and both sides have approached the game in the right manner and we have been fortunate enough to come out with a win.
JP
Peter Murphy came from the bench, Ian Harte OK?
GA
He has got a sore hip but the plan was always to bring Murph on and give him half an hour, as was Richard (Offiong), and we did that. To be honest, of all the pleasing things tonight, was the performances of the three substitutes, I thought they have come in and they have been patient and they have both come in and performed very, very well. That is Richard Offiong's best 25 minutes since he has been at the club by the way, he looked an absolute handful in that short period on the pitch and we are delighted with him.
JP
And Murphy out for quite a while from the Carlisle United first-team frame, but his first touch under pressure from two Chesterfield players, wonderful bit of skill to get away from them and chipped in with a goal.
GA
Listen, Murph is the ultimate professional isn't he and he is coming along with what we are doing. He will be frustrated that he has not been playing but Ian Harte's performances have been good in that position. But it just proves we have got strength in depth and when called upon he is called upon in the right attitude and testimony to him and hats off. He will be frustrated, but he has come in and he has put a really good 25 minute spurt on for himself and he has got his goal and I am dead pleased for him.
JP
Just tell me about this incident, I made a note when Chesterfield had a corner, you are 2-1 up, you are defending, 78 minutes or so, a corner came in, within 25 seconds it was a goal to Carlisle at the other end, what a goal that was the third goal.
GA
We work on that.
JP
You do work on that?
GA
No, it was a great goal wasn't it, listen, we know we have got pace in the team don't we. Matty Robson is very, very quick and we broke quickly, we played incisive passes and if that had been a Premier League side you would have said absolutely clinical first class passing and a great finish at the end. So we have got to be pleased with that, it was the goal of the game and it was a rapid finish from end to end and ended up in the back of their net and that probably killed the game for us. So it was a terrific boost for us.
JP
Talk about the weekend then, Bristol Rovers the match for you, you have been away from Bristol with a good result in the past this season, you will want to do that again at the weekend.
GA
Yeah, of course we do, we don't think any game is bigger than the others but we are back to league action and we are off the back of two wins. That is three wins out of four is it now and a draw there so we are going in good spirits, we go with a gameplan, we are going there with a lot of confidence. We are not going there to stand back and hope for a draw and keep an unbeaten run going, we are going there to try to win the game and cause Bristol Rovers a lot of problems.
JP
And good preparation tonight because these were no pushover.
GA
They are a good side I am telling you, it is a good side, they have got two good people running them (John Sheridan and Tommy Wright). They have had a great spell at home, they have forced their way right into the top four or five of the division and we expected a really tough game tonight. We have got it but we managed to come out victors.
JP
Leeds United have gone through, they beat Grimsby 3-1, Chesterfield of course out because you have beaten them tonight, Bradford against Port Vale looks like it is heading to penalties. And in the other match Accrington through, any preference on who you would maybe like out of those?
GA
Not really, you would probably want to steer away from Leeds United at this stage because they are the biggest club of the lot. But Bradford City is my old club, I had a lot of times there so I would like to clash swords with Stuart (McCall) and see a lot of old friends.
But listen, I just think that we have taken the competition seriously right from day one haven't we, you know that, and I hope we get our rewards in having a real push to try to get right the way through this competition. Hopefully there is an unbelievable prize at the end of it and I get excited just thinking about what we could achieve right at the top end of this competition.
JP
Two games away now of course, two wins.
GA
Don't start telling me that, I will have to get the suit dry cleaned.
JP
Just finally, any injuries from tonight, any worries there?
GA
No, we think we are OK, Hartey has got a bit of a dead hip but he is going to be alright. Adam (Clayton) is a bit dizzy but I think that is because that is the highest he has ever been up on a pitch and the rest of them are OK.
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