Peter Murphy Talks About The Game

Last updated : 05 February 2012 By Thetashkentterror

Peter MurphyUnited man of the match Peter Murphy (PM) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 League One win at home to Chesterfield, Murphy as cold during the game as the rest of the Brunton Park crowd : 
  

 

JP

It has not been a particularly nice day for playing football?

PM

No, we had to get wrapped up, it was quite cold coming off there today, but it is nice to get the three points.

 

 

JP

It looked like it was colder maybe at half-time than it was at full-time then, certainly I bet it was for you guys in the dressing-room?

PM

We got a good speaking to by the manager (Greg Abbott), I think that warmed us up. So, we were ready to go second-half and luckily we got the three points, a couple of good performances I think in the second-half rather than first-half.

 

 

JP

Chris Lumsdon wasn't sure which way Greg Abbott would go at half-time, whether he would perhaps have given you a roasting after Hartlepool and whether he would maybe talk it through you more from his time in the dressing-rooms, it sounds like you got the roasting again?

PM

No, it wasn't too bad, it was more like constructive, we weren't passing the ball too quickly. They let us have the ball quite a bit, they sat back trying to block spaces for us to get balls into the strikers. But, we needed to move the ball just a bit quicker to open them and expose them. In the second-half we changed the formation and it gave us a little bit more dynamic with Paddy Madden running in behind I think when we went a bit longer. It gave us that extra option because the ball was dropping to our midfielders and we could attack from there, so the change of formation worked.

 

 

JP

Having come back into the team as a defender after that 4-0 defeat and with your manager talking about the team needing to defend better, were you feeling a bit that the writing might be on the wall with that goal early on from the visitors?

PM

Writing on the wall as in what?

 

 

JP

Just that you might be going down another of those games where you were going to let these sloppy goals in, because it wasn't like that for the whole game?

PM

Yeah, but I think they put two balls into the box I think it was in the first-half and the second ball they scored from. I think it was good play from (Jack) Lester, he scored it did he, or was it (Drew) Talbot?

 

 

JP

It was Talbot that got it.

PM

Was it? It was still good play from him, he has taken the shot, our defender (Ben Parker) tried to block it, it goes through his legs and then it hits Adam Collin's foot. So, yeah, we have got to be trying a lot harder to stop these goals going in, but it was one this week and last week it was four so it is a bit of an improvement. But, we want to get clean sheets to our name and if we can do that we give ourselves the best chance of winning the game.

 

 

JP

And as a crucial as many aspects of the second-half were, you going back and clearing Nicky Ajose's shot off the line, is that just an instinct thing that you did there because that would have been 2-0 and probably goodnight for Carlisle?

PM

Yeah, I suppose it is a gamble I took because Lester was in the centre and he could have pulled it inside to him, so it is a gamble I took and it paid off, I cleared it off the line and then we got the chance to score a goal from a corner. A set-piece, we haven't scored from many of them this season, Ben Parker's first goal on his home debut so it was nice as well.

 

 

JP

Great for him as well because his second-half revival sort of summed up Carlisle in general, just so much better in that second spell?

PM

Yeah, there just seemed to be a lot more energy, I think when we got the first goal though the game got a bit stretched, which isn't great from a defensive point of view because it is end to end. We were trying to close it up and when we got the second goal from their mistake we pounced on it, I think Oldham made a mistake last week and I think Chesterfield benefitted from it, they have made a mistake this week and we have benefitted from it. So, it is a good result in the end.

 

 

JP

How do you players feel in the dressing room after a game like that? I mean managers..........

PM

Very cold.

 

 

JP

Very cold, yes and I am sure you still are now. But, in terms of the match itself how do you feel after a victory like that? Is it better than a 4-0 or would you prefer the feeling after those?

PM

Erm, I think it is hard to say because there are a lot of games in this division where you will only win 1-0 or by one goal and you will have to fight and scrap. Games like today we have fought and scrapped, we didn't start too well, conditions as well weren't nice so when we get the win like that it is very good, especially with the other teams not playing. But, Chesterfield I would say have got to be gutted as they have fought and battled and sort of got their tactics right, but it was only a defensive mistake by them. So, it is a tough one for them but we are delighted to get the result and it gets us closer to the top six again.

 

 

JP

And there is a bit of debate tonight as to whether this was your 400th game, can you put us out of our misery?

PM

Erm, I think it is my 440th or something like that.

 

 

JP

Maybe league game then?

PM

I don't know, people make up loads of stats. I think I have played a lot more than 400, in the programme it says like about 444 is it or something.

 

 

JP

So, it is maybe the league games, maybe was it?

PM

So many starts or something, I don't know what it is, but it is quite a lot of games.

 

 

JP

It has been a pleasure watching you today, man of the match with the sponsors and I don't think you were far off it with us either.

PM

I think Tom Taiwo was very good as well, but it was nice to get it though.

 

 

JP

And what about as a team-mate, what about Andy Welsh getting back involved and really having a contribution in that second-half after so long out injured?

PM

Yeah, exactly, it is great to see, Ben Parker supplying him and he is putting a lot of crosses in and that was at a time when the game was getting stretched. So, it is nice to see him getting a lot of ball for Francois as well, in the second-half there were a lot of good performances but the first-half we have got to improve on and start games properly.

 

 

JP

And is that latest watch for you then, the man of the match present, is that next one going out to somebody? Maybe a Valentine's gift or something like that?

PM

It's a man's watch.

 

 

JP

That will do me. Not that you will be getting me anything in February I hope?

PM

No, I will probably do it for some of my testimonial stuff, it will probably be a prize I would say, so come along to the testimonial stuff and get some prizes, there is the plug.

 

 

JP

Lovely, well done today, it was great watching that and a great fightback from the team, a really good effort, because I think a few fans just kind of felt that it was maybe just a bit of that fight was lacking in the first-half?

PM

Well, that is right, the fans coming out today when it is so cold and all that and it sort of looks like that we are not like pushing on as much as we were. Even though we are trying they are sitting back, you don't see the formation that Chesterfield are playing to stop us playing, so second-half we gave them something to cheer about and hopefully they went home happy.