Iron manager Russ Wilcox was left with a mixed bag of emotions following the defeat to Lincoln City on Wednesday night.
The Iron lost 1-0 in the Lincolnshire Senior Cup at Glanford Park but Wilcox is looking at the positives that came from the game.He was pleased with the performance from those that were selected to represent the Iron in the cup tie.
Wilcox told The Iron Player: “The result was obviously not good but the performance wasn’t too bad.
“I am pleased with the fitness levels of all the lads and the majority of the players got 80 or 90 minutes under their belts.
“I also managed to get some youth team players out there so they could get some first team experience.”
He added: “Overall I am pleased but I have to be disappointed as you never want to lose a football match.”
With each match that progresses during pre-season Wilcox is learning more and more about what the lads are capable of achieving, having only played two halves of 45 minutes.
“I am finding out things about the lads and that will stand us in good stead come Swindon,” Wilcox said.
“You can never be sure as to whether the players are ready to play 90 minutes having only played two games where the majority of them have only featured for 45 minutes at a time.
“And tonight they showed that they are ready and capable of stepping up to the mark.”
Some of United’s build up play also impressed Wilcox, however, there is still much room for improvement as United never penetrated the Imps’ goalkeeper as much as they could have done.
The United manager also felt there was little his side could have done to prevent the only goal of the game.
United captain Sam Slocombe was helpless to keep the ball out of the net after Sean Newton’s effort took a slight deflection on its way through.
“Our two wide men showed glimpses of brilliance during the match but we never created that much in the final third and we certainly didn’t test their goalkeeper enough,” he said.
“They had a lot of the ball and they looked dangerous from set plays which is something they have done for the last 10 years.
“It was a great goal that has won them the game. There was nothing we could do about that as it has just clipped Paddy’s shoulder.”
The United boss added: “We can’t afford to get too down about it as it is only pre-season.”
See much more from Russ Wilcox, and others, on The Iron Player.