Sponsored by
Ward relishing United clash
Revenge is a concept which John Ward finds unsavoury, and he has no desire to see the outcome of last season's play-off semi-final weaken the mutual respect that exists between the players of Carlisle United and Leeds United.
If either club has a score to settle when they meet at Brunton Park this weekend then that open wound belongs to Carlisle, but their manager's overriding memory of Leeds is not of the goal from Jonathan Howson which carried his team-mates into the League One play-off final but rather the quality of football seen last season during four gripping matches against the Elland Road side.
Both Leeds and Carlisle won twice and lost twice, but the most significant result was the 2-0 victory achieved by Leeds in Cumbria during the second leg of their play-off semi-final. Howson's left-footed finish in the 90th minute took Leeds to Wembley and sent Carlisle away on holiday, the two clubs conclusively separated by a narrow margin.
Ward's disappointment was understandable but at no stage of the summer did he allow the semi-final result to become all-consuming.
"I don't like the idea of settling scores or looking for revenge, and I wouldn't want my players talking like that either," he said.
"The spirit in which our games with Leeds were played last season was excellent, even after that dramatic night in the play-offs. Our players took the defeat on the chin but I thought Leeds were magnanimous and humble as well.
"There's no bitterness on my part whatsoever.
"If you love football as much I do, you have to show appreciation for good football matches, and there was something about our matches last season which brought out the best out of both clubs.
"Sometimes results go against you but you should be honest enough to acknowledge a talented team and an honest contest. There has to be a loser in the play-offs.
"I like the way Leeds play and, as far as I was concerned, they deserved their place in the play-off final. We went home disappointed yet very proud of what we'd achieved as a club. It would be very sad if we were bitter about that.
"But it's 2-2 between us and there's everything to play for again. I hope we'll get another great advert for League One this weekend."
Carlisle were joint leaders before their defeat to Scunthorpe United on Saturday, a position which answered the doubt over how well the Cumbrian club would recover from their near-miss in May.
Their position in the top six and, for a while, the top two last season was achieved with a relatively small squad, and the reluctant sale in the summer of goalkeeper Kieran Westwood to Coventry City and striker Joe Garner to Nottingham Forest did not help consolidate their pool of players.
But, far from losing their footing, Carlisle have moved forward in familiar fashion.Their home record is as strong as ever it was – showing 100 per cent statistics after three matches – and Saturday's loss at Glanford Park was their first league defeat of the season.
"I'd say that both ourselves and Leeds have put to bed the question of how well we'd react to last season," said Ward.
"It's a question that gets asked every time a club loses in the play-offs, but there was no hangover here and watching Leeds through the summer I could only sense positivity there.
"We probably had similar emotions in a way because we saw reaching the play-offs as a big thing for us, and I was one of the people who thought Leeds appearing in the play-off final was an outstanding achievement.
"To forget about that because of one result would be wrong.
"Given the choice I wouldn't have wanted to lose the guys we sold in the summer but footballers work hard to reach the highest level they can and you have to allow them to make a choice when the right opportunities come along. It doesn't mean that able replacements aren't out there if you're prepared to look hard enough.
"The size of the squad at Leeds is a major advantage in their favour and it's one of the reasons why I expect them to be exactly where they want to be come April or May.
"But the real factor with Leeds is that Gary McAllister's approach to football has developed an attractive and attacking team, and a big squad doesn't guarantee success without the right management.
"I heard people asking several times through the summer how Leeds would cope with the pressure of being favourites and my opinion was that they'd be absolutely fine.
"As I said last season, if we finish within a few points of Leeds we'll have every chance of going up."
Saturday's match at Brunton Park has come around slightly too early to lend itself to talk of six-pointers, but Ward is not convinced that the timing of the match has lessened its significance.
Every meeting between the clubs during the 2007-08 term was meaningful.
United's 3-1 loss at Brunton Park in November was their first league defeat of the season after an unbeaten run of 13 matches and Carlisle's 3-2 loss at Elland Road in April spelled the beginning of the end of their pursuit of automatic promotion.
Even without the drama they produced, the subsequent play-off matches were automatically pivotal affairs.
"Saturday's game isn't a six-pointer as such," said Ward. "But it is a top-six clash, and you might say that's the same thing. We both want to stay there right through to the end of the season.
"Everyone thinks of Leeds as a big game, but it's especially true for us because of the matches we had against them last season.
"There wasn't any real acrimony or any lasting controversy, and when I think back to all of those games I remember great football, good goals and a healthy competitive spirit.
“If you’re looking for a decent game this weekend, there are worse places to be than Brunton Park.”
phil.hay@ypn.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
