Two of the division’s pace setters went toe-to-toe in a real battle of a game at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon with Carlisle and Stevenage cancelling each other out as very few clear-cut chances were created.
Speaking after the game, manager Paul Simpson said: “It was two teams who were fighting and scrapping and doing everything, apart from probably showing a bit of quality.
“To be honest, we knew it was going to be that sort of game. That’s what they thrive off, that sort of stuff, the whole thing that goes on makes it just an argument, a fight and a row.
“I’ll give them their due, they’re very good at it. Credit to our players they stuck to it, rolled their sleeves up and worked, but we just didn’t show the quality that I think we’re capable of showing.”
It was clean sheet number 15 for the Blues, who never really looked like conceding in a game that was largely contested in the middle third.
“I think we were really clean in the way we defended,” he commented. “I thought we were superb in the way we dealt with long throws, free kicks, corners, which are some of the things they’re very good at.
“On the flip side of it I thought we had a chance of a penalty. I know the officials don’t have the video to be able to see back, but I’ve got to say the referee was in a great position, he had a totally clear view, of Paul Huntington getting the shirt pulled off his back.
“He’s made a gesture to say that Hunts was all over him, but Paul Huntington did absolutely nothing wrong in that challenge and he’s had his shirt pulled off his back. Sweeney wasn’t even looking at the ball and that’s a massive call.
“They can moan as much as they like about a homer referee, but that’s a big call not to make. It’s such a big call in a tight game.
“I also have to say that I’ve looked again at the Ryan Edmondson challenge and his touch from the pass has taken him into the box, so it’s a red card.
“It’s a really simple decision, but it isn’t made, and they explained afterwards that they thought it was too wide. All I can say is that his touch has taken him in, with just the keeper to beat, and how that isn’t denying a goal scoring opportunity I just don’t know.
“That’s two big calls the referee has had there which haven’t gone our way, but I can’t blame that for us not winning. We have to be honest and say we didn’t do enough to win the game.
“It was a really tight, hard-fought game by two teams who are scrapping and fighting for everything they can possibly get.
“I’m delighted with the attitude of the players, but we probably need to handle the emotion of that type of game better than we did, because I think we have more to show if we do that.”
Touching again on the decisions not given that could have changed the course of the game, he told us: “It could have been different if they were given, but I’m not saying we would have gone on to win it had they been.
“They are big calls, and I thought the referee did ok, but they really are big decisions to be made between the four of them. They have to get those calls right and I don’t think they have on those two occasions.
“Not for one minute am I blaming the referee for a 0-0 draw at home, I think it’s a really good point for us, but they are the types of decisions that can change the whole complexion of the game.”
As ever in football, and as the saying goes, if you can’t win the game, make sure you don’t lose.
“That’s a big thing,” he agreed. “They’re capable of scoring at any point with the way they are and the way they put the ball in the area.
“Norris is a handful, so is Reid, and they have players like Forster-Caskey who can find a pass. We had to just dig in, and credit to the players for what they did.
“Credit to Tomas for coming out and taking crosses and dealing with what they threw at us. It’s another clean sheet and we keep moving forward.
“I’ve said that to the players as well. It’s a really good point, I’m pleased with it. I don’t believe in this whole thing where people say it’s two points dropped. No, it isn’t, we’ve got one point more than we had before kick-off.
“It’s a good point against a team who are up there with us. The other thing I said to them was that we just have to be better in possession, and if we do that then the fighting spirit and defensive capabilities that we have, with a bit of football quality added, will mean that we’re a good side.
“To be fair I think both teams did the basic side of defending really well, but it’s probably fair to say that I’m only concerned with us. I think we didn’t do our possession stuff as well as we did the defending side of it, but it is a really good point for us.
“It adds one more to the tally and it sets us up for Tuesday night. We’ll freshen up, get going again and hope that we can be a bit better on the ball than we’ve seen here.”
“As it went on, and with the way both teams worked, I think if either team had lost it would have been cruel,” he continued. “We were second and third before the game started and you don’t get into those positions by letting teams off lightly.
“We knew it was going to be a really tough game, we felt as though we would have some footballing ability that could cause them problems, but we lacked that bit of quality to be able to really go and finish it off. It’s another clean sheet, and it's another point in another game chalked off.
“And I have to say that our fans were magnificent. I can’t say anything against them. They’ve turned up in their numbers, and it’s incredible to see that on a day like this where it’s wet and horrible.
“They stuck with us, they supported the players, and the lads kept battling and fighting which is what we all want to see. I’m sure they would have all liked to have gone home happier, because they’d seen a win, but there just wasn’t enough from either side to get the points.”