United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 0-0 League One draw at home to Preston, Abbott saying that the Blues put in a decent performance in the game :
JP
What an absolutely brilliant performance from your lads, just couldn't find that goal but a great night's football?
GA
Yeah, I mean if ever there was a time where we needed to put on a decent performance and show the fans that have come tonight that possibly haven't been coming it was on. We are so proud of the players tonight, we were well worth the victory, it didn't come but it wasn't for the want of trying. Some good goalkeeping, some poor finishing, some fantastic efforts, whatever you want to call it, but we just couldn't find that winner.
I think our performance deserved it but I think our performance deserved these fans that have come tonight to come back and see the job through this season. They are important things to us, we have talked about the importance of having fans through the gate in the dressing room all week and prior to this. They have come tonight and they have shown them that we are not there by any mistake, we are there on merit, and listen, we are going to keep this going as long as we can.
We are into the ten games to go now and it is a fantastic achievement for this football club to be where it is, it is an absolute fantastic achievement. I think everybody, well near enough to a man is coming with us and wants to be part of it now and that is generally what happens. We have worked hard to get here and we have got the finishing stretch to do now and we are going to give the last ten games the best possible effort we can and hopefully get into that final bit that everybody wants at the end of the season.
JP
Near 7,000 here, it is great to see that reaction for this match against Preston, on another day, another stage, another story, 0-0 at home against a local rival might not have pleased the locals but to a man they were up on their feet absolutely loving the way your team played tonight?
GA
Listen, we have said and we have talked about the honesty in the camp, we have talked about the responses to disappointment which we have had over the season, not so many I have to say in 30-odd games, we have only been beaten nine times. Listen, we have talked about loving working with the players, Kav (Graham Kavanagh), Caigy (Tony Caig), myself and Dolly (Neil Dalton) and that and that will go to the wire.
They are a great group of players, it is a fantastic dressing room and that is what is carrying us all the way through and we might just get there. We are up there now and Notts County have had a couple of poor results, although good teams, but we have got a great stretch of games to come, but we just want to try to see it all the way through and give the fans and the town something to be lifted by and something to be enthused by.
The reaction was excellent after the game and we are such a delighted backroom staff to be part of this group of players that go out there and give everything they have got near enough every week. We know we have our ups and downs but I think 99% of the season the effort has been unquestionable and the determination has been sensational.
JP
Fifteen unbeaten now here, how much are the players enjoying playing at Fortress Brunton?
GA
Nobody actually realises that I don't think, the players, we never ever talk about it, I have forgotten about that one. But, yeah, we did say earlier on when I thought we were breaking the record, I thought it was a sixteen game record but it is obviously not. But, if we can just go to the end of the season unbeaten it gives us a real fighting chance of being where we want to be, and that is really important to what the club is doing. The fans are coming now and we have got a few more in tonight and hopefully they will be back. I think the next home game is Huddersfield is it?
JP
Yeah, at the end of the month.
GA
There could be 25,000 for that.
JP
Two cracking games as well to tee it up, two amazing looking away fixtures, Colchester away and MK Dons, they will be exciting good games, get positive results there and you could have the 25,000 here?
GA
Yeah, I mean they are tough games, John (Ward) has got his team organised and playing well and they are grinding results out and keeping on the heels of the top six and seven. Karl (Robinson's) team can be anything on the day, fantastic, they play some great football, it could be a real classic there on the Tuesday night. But, listen, bit by bit, one by one, if we can get through that week, the next three games, unscathed we are in the mix, properly in the mix.
JP
Is there a little bit of mind games going on? As Preston are doing their warm-down all the floodlights have gone off and they are in complete darkness.
GA
Well, there you are, there you are, they will have to come in tomorrow morning.
JP
The meter must have gone off in the electricity machine, a few smiles around us in the press box here. How much have you enjoyed this occasion tonight against, I mean it is not often Carlisle get this sort of derby against Preston who the fans consider their most closest of rivals. How much have you enjoyed the spectacle of it?
GA
I like the tension, I like the excitement, it is a big game for Preston coming here, they will be thinking good side Carlisle and coming here it is probably a big day out for the Preston people. But, we have shown them who is the boss tonight, but just unfortunately couldn't find the result.
JP
My only churlish question, do you think you should have found that goal tonight because the performance was fantastic, do you think it would have just been the icing on the cake as Chris (Lumsdon) called it?
GA
Well it wouldn't be an interview without you having one of those churlish questions would it. So, no, listen, I think everybody in the ground would possibly say we deserved to get the result, we haven't but the performance needs to be enthused about, we need to get another ten of them and hopefully............. We will play worse than this between now and the end of the season and pick up points and win games but it wasn't to be tonight with the result, but we have to be enthused by the performance.
JP
I am not sure that we are going to hear from you before the weekend's game so I will have to ask you now, the loan window does shut this week I believe, any plans to go into the market? Jordan Cook in particular?
GA
Yeah, Jordan is coming to see me tomorrow so we are hopeful we can talk to Jordan and explain things and understand where he is coming from. But, we might have more for you, if I get that sorted tomorrow I will be in touch and we can let everybody know what is going on with that, but is he coming to see me tomorrow for a meeting.
JP
I have channelled you onto just Jordan Cook there, anything else? Any other areas you are looking to address in the squad in that loan window?
GA
Erm, we just couldn't do it, we are what we are and we have said this all along. I think if we get Jordan in it gives us another option when we need to find a goal with him. We have got Paddy (Madden) and we have got Jordan and we have got some options there. The rest of it we have sort of got people that can fill in positions, and we will get Paul Thirlwell and Matty Robson hopefully fit in the next ten days, and if we do that we are in good shape to take on the last ten games.
JP
How is Matty Robson doing? Any further developments on his injury situation?
GA
He is having a series of treatments with his back, but we are hopeful two weeks might see the back of that. But, to be fair his deputy I thought was absolutely magnificent tonight, magnificent.
JP
He just looks like a left-back doesn't he Chris Chantler?
GA
Well, like we said, he is a really good footballer but what he is, is he has got the heart of a lion. There are not many people smaller than him I have to say but there are not many people with bigger hearts than him and again the crowd are beginning to love him and take him on board as a firm favourite, and I thought he was magnificent tonight.
JP
A proper Manc little scrapper?
GA
That is it yeah, the little Manc lad.
JP
And we must just talk about, I know you don't like to go too much on individuals, but Jon-Paul McGovern got the sponsor's man of the match tonight, I thought he was excellent, really got stuck in and some lovely stuff?
GA
Honest, yeah, you are right, I think tonight though everybody, (Liam) Noble and (Tom) Taiwo with the energy, Danny Livesey commanding, Murph (Peter Murphy) cool and calm with it. You could go through the team tonight, there were some really, really strong performances, Lee Miller, don't let his performance go unnoted, strong. Jay (Jon-Paul McGovern) has provided and provided and provided and worked tirelessly up and down that right wing, a bit more luck and somebody would have got on the end of one of his crosses. Frank Simek, the best game since he has come back from his injury as well, absolutely outstanding my two full-backs.