Colchester manager John Ward (JW) spoke to BBC Radio Essex's Ben Fryer (BF) after his side's 1-0 League One defeat versus Carlisle at Brunton Park, Ward saying that both teams played better against the wind :
BF
Did the best team win that today?
JW
Well they did because they scored the one goal in the game, I thought both teams played better against the wind, which kind of defies what people think, but I think both teams worked harder in those conditions trying to get it down and pass it around better. I thought Carlisle passed it around well in the first-half, they certainly took their goal well on a good passing move, and we passed it better in the second period but didn't take our chances, we didn't get that right first touch in the box. For a game dominated by the conditions they were very few goalmouth opportunities, and it does spoil it but the only enjoyment you get out of that is winning, and obviously we haven't done that so we don't get much enjoyment out of the afternoon at all.
BF
You talked about the wind in the first-half, it was behind you and time and time again Colchester players were trying to play an impossible ball, a high ball on the wind which was just running through?
JW
That is what I mean, and that happened a bit to Carlisle in the second period as well, the touch and the pass you want to get right gets carried away a little bit, it is probably a good ball on a good day and on a day like this it makes life difficult. But, they took their chance very well, it was a good move, obviously we broke it down but they picked it up and moved it very sharply and stuck it in the net very well and we didn't get that kind of touch or cross or delivery that possibly, well we looked for, whether we deserved it or not that will be different people's views, but I think had we drawn 1-1 I am not sure there would have been too many complaints, but when you don't score you are not going to do that are you, so that is a fact.
BF
And the goal that went in, Magnus (Okuonghae) has made his decision to step out and they have filled that gap really well haven't they Carlisle, two or three passes down the line?
JW
Yeah, and there are going to be mistakes on days like this you know and you hope you get away with them, I am sure the Carlisle lads have had one or two instances where they think 'crikey, I hope that doesn't cost us', and it hasn't so they get forgotten. When they get highlighted with a goal then you start to name names a little bit, but Magnus has slipped in terms of he has made his decision, he has lost his footing, but as I say, I think they passed it well and scored a good goal. They will be happy with the way they finished it off, they were very calm around the edge of the penalty box, which didn't apply to us, particularly in the second period where we had more football around the penalty box at Carlisle's end.
BF
Yeah, it was better in the second-half, looking to get the ball down on the ground?
JW
Yeah, because you tend to probably, in a strange way, you work harder if you like against the wind because you know it is not going to go. You can't put it in the air because you know it is going to come back, I mean look at that when we kicked off, Anthony Wordsworth has put it forward and it has landed back in our half, I am not sure how legal that is to be honest, I have never seen it before. So, that was the strength of the wind and it was awkward conditions, the only pleasure you get out of a day like this, you can't enjoy the game, I am sure in general terms the crowd haven't enjoyed a game of football but the Carlisle supporters have enjoyed seeing their team win, so they are probably not bothered.
BF
Should you have created a few more chances do you think in the second-half that the passing deserved?
JW
Well, you say the passing deserved, I don't think that in the last 30 yards our passing was as good as I wanted it to be to provide those opportunities for us. So, we got there for more opportunities, we got there more times, we didn't deliver that final cross or that shot or that bit of work to upset their goalkeeper, he (Adam Collin) had a relatively routine afternoon.
BF
Back-to-back defeats for Colchester United under John Ward, that doesn't happen very often?
JW
No, it doesn't, but it happens, it is what you do next and we have got to fight back on it. We have got a cup tie at home next week and if we can win that then we go into the third round of the FA Cup and everyone gets excited about those kinds of things. So, I said last week, footballers are resilient people and our boys have been at least resilient today in terms of not a great first-half, we weren't happy with that but we have fought back and particularly after a 5-1 defeat last week. So, there has been a better response but there can still be a better one next Saturday and that is what we will be pushing for.