Carlisle United Football Club

“I thought we did enough to get the three points last Saturday,” he said. “We deserved it because we created a lot more chances than they did and we looked solid at the back. We were just unlucky not to score because it would have been a big three points for us. 

“We have to take the positives out of it and move on to this weekend. It’s very important for us to do that because if you think about the fact you didn’t get the win too much you can start to get really down with it.” 

“There’s a lot of confidence in the dressing room at the moment and that comes from the way we’re playing,” he added. “Good performances breed confidence and that’s what we need at what is a crucial time of the season. Everyone knows that and hopefully we’ll keep playing well and get the points on the board.”

“All we can do is take each game as it comes. You don’t tend to look at the table too much because it’s all about getting as many points as you can. That’s why it would have been unfair if we’d lost at the weekend. It can be looked at as two points dropped but I see it as one to carry into the next game.”

“We’ll be fine if we keep creating chances, as we are at the moment,” he insisted. “We have people who can score goals so we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing. We’ll concentrate on ourselves and hopefully we’ll get the results we want.

“We know we’re capable of winning every one of the ten games we have to come. Having said that, the next three or four games are vital because none of it will be easy. It’s almost like a mini-league down at the bottom of the table at the moment. We’re playing all the teams around us and we feel confident we can do what we need to do.”

“I think we have the players to get us out of this,” he said. “We have to stay positive, keep going and believe in what we’re doing. None of us want to be relegated. It comes down to personal pride and you have to look at yourself and ask if you’re doing enough. We know what will happen if we don’t, so it’s a case of getting on with it.

“We just need something to propel us forward. Things would have looked much better in the table if we’d got the win on Saturday but we know it’s going to come. It is quite tough when you see the injuries and especially because it’s to quite a few of the senior lads. 

“When you look around the dressing room you see it is a young team, so I have to look at myself as one of the older ones in the group and I have to be a bit more of a leader. I do try to put more pressure on myself to take on that type of role because I know I have to try to help the younger lads along. It’s a difficult situation we’re in but we have to keep our heads together and keep working hard.

“I think we can definitely use the experience of last season. It wasn’t easy for periods back then, but we came through it. I think that will help us to cope with what we’re going through now. Everyone wants to get the points we need sooner rather than later. If it goes down to the last three or four games then it will become more pressurised. We have ten games left so we want to get it done.”

And looking ahead to the trip to Meadow Lane on Saturday, he said: “Notts County is a great place to go and play football. It’s a nice, big ground but they’re at the bottom of the table and it’s a massive game. 

“It’s where all of our focus is right now. It’s an opportunity because we need to stay out of those relegation places. It’ll be tough, but we’re all looking forward to it. The pitch hasn’t had much grass on it in the previous seasons when we’ve been there so it could be a bit of a battle. We’re more than prepared for that because you get games like that in League One at this time of year. 

“It’ll be nice to see Greg [Abbott] again. I haven’t spoken to him for a while so it’ll be good to say hello. Come 3pm it’s about the three points and getting the victory. It isn’t like he’ll be there on the pitch or anything like that. He’ll be on the sidelines so, once we get into the game, I don’t think the fact he’s there will be that much of a factor at all.”

“I feel fine about the situation we’re in,” he concluded. “It’s a different kind of challenge. Yes, it’s intense, but I’m looking forward to it and it’s our job at the end of the day to play well and get the points. I’m sure that will happen.”