John Ward On The QPR Defeat

Last updated : 29 August 2008 By Thetashkentterror

John Ward
United boss John Ward spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey immediately after Carlisle's 4-0 Carling Cup thumping at QPR, Ward suggesting that the Blues need take to away the positives from their performance in the first-half :


" I don't regret it all, we have got a tanking in the second-half, there is no other word for it, they have played exceptionally and have given us a bit of a run around. The opportunity to have come here though having won at Shrewsbury has been absolutely vital for the team. I am really pleased for that chance to come and play and see what this level is about at first-hand.

" So whilst I am really disappointed with the result, because we held our own very well in the first period, the first 45 minutes, but in the second we went under. Not because of our own fault but because of good play by the opposition, we saw what a top ten Championship side is full of, what they need and what is required. So take the opportunity, and I'll take that any time, but obviously disappointed with the way that the thing has finished.

" We won't be bowed, we come back, I have got the most honest group of people ever. I have just told them, what I have just told you is exactly what I have said to them. We have had a bit of a beating, we just put our hands up, we get on the bus, we go home, we come in on Thursday morning, we have a smile, and we get working very hard ready for the game on Saturday.

" I have just seen on the television that Yeovil have lost 5-1 at Middlesbrough so they will feel a bit like us. Maybe it will be defences on top on Saturday, who knows, but we have got to take it and get on with it. I think that our supporters here, there was a terrific number again, they have at least appreciated the effort by the team. They haven't turned their backs on us, they have applauded the boys at the end, and we brought them here, we brought them to Queens Park Rangers to see this place and have the opportunity themselves. So we have got something to be pleased about. "



" We thought that there were good shouts for penalties. There were two or three we just pulled up, there was a pull on the shirt, there was a player go down in the box, there was a handball blocking a cross. So there were two or three shouts there, I don't know, referees see things differently to us obviously. I am obviously a bit biased and you think that there is a good shout for at least one of those going in our favour but it didn't happen.

" It just might have changed things a little bit but their set-play delivery was absolutely first-class tonight. Their delivery from corners is brilliant and whilst we defended it well in the first period, we couldn't defend the first one in the second. Once this group of players, once Queens Park Rangers have got their tails up then they are going to be hard to stop.

" It's quite a huge step up to the Championship I think, this is a big league and this is a big football club going on here. There are 8,000 people here tonight, we didn't get that for our first league game, there were 15,000 here on Saturday and this is not the biggest club in the Championship. The level of performance is exceptionally high and we have seen them twice, we saw them lose at Sheffield United and then we saw them win on Saturday against Doncaster.

" The level of performance was good on Saturday and has been very high again tonight, and they will give a lot of people problems here. So we have got a lot to do to get into this level and to stay in it. So there is a heck of a lot of work to do at Carlisle but we will try very hard to improve the things at our football club the way that we can.

" We have just said in the dressing-room that we have to get back on for Yeovil on Saturday. We are very honest, I have just said to the boys that we have got a bit of a beating in the second-half but in the first-half we played some good stuff. At least we can go away with our heads up and say that on Thursday morning let's come in positive. "



" We know that if we can perform as we did in the first period of tonight's game then we will create some chances and hopefully convert them and give ourselves a victory on Saturday. This will then just get vanished into the memory, but we will maybe smile about it one day but not at the minute, but maybe on Saturday night if we get a good result then.

" Gary Madine's game tonight is a big thing for him and a big thing for us. He was 18 on Sunday and I have just popped him his birthday present in today and told him to go and get himself out there. I wanted to leave him through it, I could have made a little change to him but I left him to it to get right the way through. He will remember that for a long time, he won't enjoy it, he will have better nights obviously but he will remember that. He is a good kid and he is going to be a good player.

" I thought that the front line did do very well along that period of the first-half. Michael Bridges and Gary link up very well and the two wide players showed good pace and delivery. We just couldn't keep that going, we lost Simon (Hackney) a bit once the goals had gone against us, so I brought him off to keep him for Saturday. It's just keeping it working, the early first minute goal in the second-half really battered us and gave them a huge lift. They are going into their bank of supporters lifted by that, and they have got some exceptionally good flair players who came to the fore when they got their tails up.

" I spoke to Chris Birchall's agent and that is all that I have spoken to, so it has probably come from there. I haven't spoken to Coventry City so Chris Coleman will be wondering what I am doing, but I have not spoken to Chris and I have not spoken to the player. It was just a conversation with an agent that represents Chris Birchall, as I have probably five or six of them every day from agents. Particularly at this time of the year with the transfer window closing, and that is simply what it was.

" It is our first defeat in five games and four of those have been away from home. It was a really tough start when you looked at that, and then this draw came away from home again. My boys have done very, very well, we have just got to get the energy back into them now over the next three days ready for the weekend. If we can get it right on Saturday then we can banish this to the memory and start looking at the league table again, which should look nice if we can get the right thing done on Saturday. "