John Ward On The Yeovil Victory

Last updated : 06 April 2008 By Thetashkentterror

John Ward
United boss John Ward spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey on Saturday evening as he talked about the last-gasp 2-1 win over Yeovil at Brunton Park, Ward also chatting about the crunch top-of-the-table clash coming up on Tuesday night at home to Swansea City:


" I think me and 6,500 Carlisle players and people and staff as well went through the emotions. We've come in at half-time feeling a little bit hard done by in terms of being a goal down, we probably did enough not to be in that position and certainly be level. We've made a substitution, made a change and gone for it, which is in our nature, not just mine, but in the team's nature.

" We put young (Scott) Dobie on there and we've had a real good go at it in the second-half, and that's exactly what we wanted to. Even so I've got to praise my goalkeeper (Keiren Westwood) for a terrific point-blank save at 1-1 when we could have been discussing a totally different result. Everybody has played a massive part in a very exciting afternoon that, fortunately, in terms of for us, has gone our way, and we're absolutely delighted that it has.

" It was good (for Gary Madine) because just before the first goal he was coming on anyway, we were going to make that change, you probably saw him stood next to me. We get the goal, and then the impetus is then with us, it doesn't feel right to make the change, but he was sat ready all the time waiting to get his few minutes.

" He made a telling touch, but what a good guy to drop it to, Scott Dobie, and his first goal here at home has been an absolutely vital one, as was his away goal at Crewe. Here though, at this stage of the season, somebody with his experience in making sure that he just hits the target, he's done so and he's got the winner which is fantastic for him. "



" The results have gone for us because we've won, I've got no control over any results elsewhere. It's pleasing if they have helped us in that respect, but we've got to win our games. We know that, we've said that before, if we win enough games of football in the last five now then we are going to get ourselves in this second position. So regardless of other results we've done the job today and that's the important factor, but I'm pleased with the Doncaster and Swansea results.

" It obviously builds up Tuesday night, it always was a big game I think when it was rearranged for that time. We've just said to the players, we said at half-time, the one thing that I've experienced here in six months is that we don't go away. We keep at it, we nag away and we play our football, we've done that today and we've got a win, and we've certainly got to do that on Tuesday night.

" We can do that, not relaxed in a way, but knowing that even we were not to win that game then we are still going to be in the position that we are in now, five points clear. So whatever we can take from Tuesday, if we could win it, it would be a wonderful position and a draw wouldn't be a disaster. As we always do though, we'll try to win the game.

" The pitch needed a shower of rain on it I think, we needed a damper pitch. It was blustery, it's a little bit bobbly, a bit drier than it has been of late. We hoped that we'd get some water on it just to zip it up a little bit because I think that would help us, but it didn't happen. So we had to deal with those situations as well. It's a terrific strike off Marcus Stewart, it's took a deflection and gone in, their only real shot on target I think in the first-half.

" Then you wonder if it's your day, but this group of players have stuck all the way through, and I can only talk about it since I've been here but it must be the case over the last three of four years or we wouldn't be where we are. They have to have a reputation of sticking and working hard together and I've just joined that, I'm in the crusade at the moment. So that's really pleasing that we've got that in this dressing-room. "



" We've made the changes in terms of the back-room staff discussing that at half-time about what we should do to change this or move that. Grant Smith has actually had a very good first-half and it's absolutely no reflection on his own personal performance but we felt that we needed to go and do what we did. So everybody has played a big, big part in getting this result today and I'm really pleased that things have happened in the way they have.

" No new knocks today, just Dennis Booth and Greg Abbott who have punched each other to pieces when the second goal went in, I think the lads are fine though. We've said before that when things are happening in your way then there are less injuries and less problems. These boys are buoyant and they've just got to get ready for another big game on Tuesday, but I'm sure they don't mind too much.

" I don't know if we play better against the top teams, because I think we've played quite well against most teams. We lost to a top team on Tuesday night in Nottingham Forest, although it was a very good game. I certainly think though that the Swansea game for me is the lift, it's just in the name itself, the league leaders coming and it will lift the players and the supporters in the position we are in now. The top games always have an extra little edge to them and I'm sure that Tuesday will be the same.

" We've just said in the staff room that we're in the play-offs boys so well done. So that's one achievement, we said that we needed to establish that, now we'll still try to chase the leaders and that's what we'll do on Tuesday. Sometimes it's difficult for the supporters in a sense because they can only get behind the team, they are getting frustrated the same as me and the same as the players. They can only stand and let those frustrations come out.

" When we needed some help and we needed a bit of support we got it, it's alright getting it against Nottingham Forest in a big game like that under lights, but we needed it against Yeovil today. I'm absolutely grateful to them, they have got their reward as well , not just for today but for the support on Tuesday last week. I hope we see them again on this coming Tuesday and see what we can do then. "