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JP
Greg, how do you feel?
GA
Not good to be honest, it hurts like mad when we should be really thinking that a point against a team as good as these is OK, but we don't think it is OK. We just think the effort, the endeavour we have put into the game and getting so far so late you are looking at three points which would have been a wonderful victory against a decent side.
JP
It was a slip really wasn't it from the winger (Lee Holmes), the referee (Graham Salisbury) seemed a bit quick to the give the free-kick, almost like he couldn't wait to give it at the end there.
GA
You said it didn't you, he had given the free-kick before the lad had hit the ground, he couldn't wait for it. It is annoying and it is disappointing that they can't get it right when it matters, and it matters. I don't criticise referees, you know that but he must look at that and I thought he was poor all afternoon for us really. He didn't give us anything most of the game and then he has given one after 94 minutes that has cost us dearly, and that really is hurting.
JP
Despite that though, it could have been defended better at the end there, although it was a great defensive display all game.
GA
It was a mistake, Lenny (Pidgeley's) only mistake in the game, to be fair he made some great saves, he has come for a lot of crosses, he has helped us out with his size. Probably you take that away from him and he is one of our men of the match. He has been terrific along with the back four who have defended well against a strong side, they have got a lot of pace and a lot of power.
We have shown a lot of desire today and a lot of commitment and the fans are wondering about the team, and there were parts of the game that weren't right and there were parts of the game that we can improve on we know. But we couldn't really improve on the amount of commitment and endeavour we put into the game today.
JP
There was certainly a lot of that wasn't there, as you say, there are things that you can improve on but the attacking play, getting forward, getting in behind the opposition and getting men forward into the penalty area, so much more of that today. That must have impressed you?
GA
We had a bit of a rallying call, asking about what we want and what we are looking to achieve and how we are going to achieve it. Richard (Offiong) has come into this club and it is tough for him because the levels we are expecting are probably more than he has been used to.
But we have bashed on today haven't we, we have tramped on, we have made tackles, we have made headers, we have made blocks, we have run people hard down the wide areas. The strikers have given us a bit of energy upfront and we have got balls into the box again. We have probably throughout the game had some decent chances.
This is a good side we were playing against today, make no mistake about it, they will improve and then they will end up pushing their way up the table. So it is probably a good time to get them while they aren't quite settled in League One. But when you think their centre forward (Rickie Lambert) has cost £1 million that just shows you sometimes the gulfs of what you are expected to compete against, but we competed against them really well today.
JP
Their goalkeeper (Kelvin Davis) cost £1 million, one of their midfielders cost £1 million, one of their defenders who is out cost £1 million. It is a different playing field but today you showed that you can perform against the good sides, can you do it week in and week out then against the sides who aren't perhaps as illustrious?
GA
There is no could or might, we have to do, that is the simple job that is ahead of us. We have to compete against these clubs, we don't think that they are a better side than us or a club with more money than us so we should just give them three points. We have got to fight and scrap and battle and try to push teams as hard as we pushed Southampton to earn their little bit of something out of the game today. We said over our dead bodies and today I think it was definitely a case of over our dead bodies.
JP
And Scott Dobie got a goal, that must be very important for him at the moment.
GA
Listen, we are too quick sometimes to throw the band in at people. Whatever Scott is or he isn't he is an honest most endeavoured lad with an amazing amount of determination for Carlisle United Football Club. He is Carlisle through and through, he wants to do well for this club, he will have poor games, he will have good games, he will have average games, but do you know what, he will always give everything he has got in his locker.
That is what he has done today and was it the goal of the season? Probably not. Was it one through sheer determination and guts? Let's say it probably was. That is what is pleasing, that that is what you get with Scott and we know that.
JP
He does need to score though and provide goals upfront for you, now he has got that one there, do you think that maybe can be the catalyst for him this season?
GA
Well I hope so, I hope it is a catalyst for everybody. But I am not going to load pressure onto the individual players, which I never do. As a team we have got to score and generally your bulk of goals has got to come from your front two or four. So that is their responsibility in that part of the game and Scott has got three goals now this season in probably nine games, which is one in three, which when you look at that is not a disaster. We want five or six in nine but three in nine is not a disaster.
We have got to give him that confidence without people jumping on him and slaughtering him all the time, which is unfair I think for a lad that gives everything he has got. He knows he has got to get goals and he knows he has got to create goals because that is his job in the team.
JP
Indeed it is, looking ahead then, you have had a good performance here, unlucky not to get the three points. Leeds on Tuesday, another tough match but a big match that should inspire the players like today's spectacle has.
GA
I am sure it will, we had a real big rousing rallying call before the game today in terms of what we expect and we were up at each other and getting each other going. If we need to do that on Tuesday then I would be surprised, I think that it probably takes care of itself doesn't it. Leeds United away from home in front of 35,000 fans is a fantastic place to play football and we go there with optimism after that now.
JP
What do you take, what are the primary things that you take from today's game that you can take into that that have perhaps been different in some of your recent matches.
GA
Well we just take the determination factor, it didn't look like we were going to roll over and die today did it. At times we were put under pressure, Rickie Lambert is as a handful, he is a massive handful, he gets his flick-ons, he holds the ball up terrifically well and he brings other players into the game.
We have dealt with everything they could throw at us until 94 minutes and then we think that we succumbed to a referee's decision. We could have done something about it afterwards but the majority of the play we have kept them at bay and we thought we were going to run out winners.
JP
Any injuries from the game?
GA
No, we are OK I think, they all look fine.
JP
Kevan Hurst has his knee strapped up again, is he alright with that, is it just the same injury?
GA
That is the work he does after every game to keep everything sorted out, it just keeps everything nice, but he does that every game, it is nothing different.
JP
And finally, you talked about Rickie Lambert and how you handled him, the key to handling Rickie Lambert, Richard Keogh, what a fantastic return to the team for him.
GA
Well that is why I decided to play him, because he gives you a lot of determination, a lot of presence, and he gives you a wholehearted roll your sleeves up attitude. I think he has played terrifically well today and well done.
JP
I want to tell you well done and it is well done, but unlucky as well.
GA
Yeah, we feel a bit unlucky but the well done, we will take the well done on board and we will take the unlucky on board. That is better than sitting up here without a performance and with loads of criticism and everyone going home unhappy. We are unhappy but we have got to take some positives out of it and we will do.