Match Reaction From United's Adam Clayton

Last updated : 11 February 2010 By Thetashkentterror

Adam Clayton
United midfielder Adam Clayton (AC) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 3-2 Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Area Final second leg defeat at home to Leeds, a result that meant the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate and went to a nerve jangling penalty shootout which Carlisle won 6-5, Clayton saying it was brilliant to get the man of the match award :


JP

Southampton, some match for you again at Wembley?

AC

I can't wait, it is going to be brilliant isn't it.

JP

Man of the match this evening, another fine display for you, it is just becoming part and parcel now isn't it?

AC

I wouldn't say that quite yet, but I have just got to keep trying in every game and it is brilliant to get man of the match live on SKY, as a personal thing for me it is brilliant. But obviously it has helped the team out as well so I can't be happier at the moment.

JP

Roberto Mancini has maybe watched you tonight, hopes maybe for next season with Manchester City?

AC

He might not have watched because they were playing Bolton tonight weren't they.

JP

He will get the DVD though?

AC

Yeah, hopefully someone will post the DVD to him.





JP

What does it mean to you? You are here as a young player, you are trying to prove yourself with one club, you are at another club on loan and it is going well for you. How happy have you been with your time here at Carlisle?

AC

It has been brilliant, the gaffer (Greg Abbott) has brought me in and I have appreciated it so much. I have just tried as hard as I can in every game and hopefully I am impressing the Carlisle fans. They were brilliant tonight I thought, they got behind us 100% and it is all about playing well. If I play well on a personal note then Carlisle are going to do well, so all smiles all round after tonight's performance.

JP

Can I make a point to you on a personal note on behalf of the Carlisle fans?

AC

Yeah.

JP

If it doesn't quite work out for you at Manchester City, and we all hope it does, please come back to Carlisle United.

AC

We'll see, we'll see.





JP

I tried to get him to promise you there Carlisle fans. The opening goal tonight of course, the 33rd minute, talk us through that, very composed?

AC

I didn't really have that much time to think about it. It just dropped and I have taken a touch and it has taken me one on one with the keeper (Casper Ankergren). To be honest I didn't really think about anything which was probably a good thing in the end. I have just shot and it has gone in, I saw it go in the back of the net and I have just, I don't know what was going on in my mind but I was just buzzing.

JP

After that as well you tried one from 30 yards and then one from 50 yards, you became ambitious after getting one tonight.

AC

Well I got a bit of stick for the one from 50 yards but I didn't really mean to do it. I could tell someone was coming in to foul me from behind, so I was just trying to boot it anywhere really. But I got a bit of stick, I was trying to get the foul but he just didn't get there in time, so it looked like a tame effort from 50 yards.

JP

Ten minutes to go, 2-1 up on the night, 4-2 on aggregate, it looked like you were going to sail through to the Wembley final. What emotions did the players go through when you conceded two late goals to take it to penalties?

AC

Well we have done it the hard way again haven't we to be fair. When we went 1-0 up I thought that it wasn't over, when we went 2-1 up I thought come on now boys we have got this, let's not do anything stupid. Then they scored and they scored again, but it is Leeds United, they are going to do that to you aren't they.

But we just had to keep our heads and during the penalty shootout we were just thinking positive the whole way through it. (Richard) Keogh, I don't know what Keogh has done but we have got him out of it, everyone was in it together tonight so I think that is what got us through in the end.





JP

Penalty shootouts are a cruel way to end a football match, what was Richard like on half-way when he had missed that one?

AC

He was devastated, he wears his heart on his shirt doesn't he Richard Keogh. The fans love him, I am sure they will excuse that penalty mistake. But we are there, we are at Wembley, so that will soon be forgotten and I am sure he has already forgotten it now with a bottle of champagne in his hand.

JP

That is the key is it? Adam Collin, what do you make of the young goalkeeper, playing for Workington Reds in the Blue Square North last season, now he is going to Wembley with Carlisle United.

AC

I didn't know much about Adam to be honest, but since I have come in, and when I came in Lenny (Pidgeley) was in goal. Lenny is a great keeper as well, Adam has come in and done exceptional. Every game he is commanding in his area, his kicking is good, everything about his game, he has got a cool head to go with it and he has got the biggest hands I have ever seen in my life. So that is only a good thing for a keeper.

JP

I am sure it can be, just looking around at the other results tonight in League One by the way, Swindon have beaten Oldham 4-2, Bristol Rovers 0-1 Walsall, Brighton against Huddersfield goalless and the latest we have got, Tranmere 1-0 up at Gillingham.

1-1 Portsmouth v Sunderland in the Premier League by the way. 1-1 Wigan v Stoke and your boys Manchester City have won 2-0 against Bolton as you alluded to, (Emmanuel) Adebayor and a (Carlos) Tevez penalty, that will delight you no doubt?

AC

Yeah, yeah, that is brilliant for Man City, hopefully they can get in that fourth position and hopefully I can play for them next year, if not I don't see why I can't be at Carlisle.