Following the 1-0 win over MK Dons, Scunthorpe United boss Brian Laws felt his side have rediscovered the belief that they can still avoid the trapdoor into League Two.
Echoing the club’s Twitter hash tag ‘believe’ the Iron boss urged fans to pack Glanford Park for next weekend’s home game against Swindon Town as his side look to pull off the great escape.Prior to the game, which the Iron won 1-0 thanks to a Karl Hawley strike from close range, United looked all but dead and buried.
However, a combination of Shrewsbury holding Colchester at the Weston Homes Community Stadium and Laws’ side’s own result means that the gap between the Glanford Park outfit and the Essex side is just three points, with the U's above on goal difference.
Speaking to The Iron Player post-game, Laws praised the spirit of the players in grinding out what was, in truth, an unexpected win.
“We came here with a game plan, and credit to they players they executed it to the letter,” he said.
“We knew that we had to come here and play a certain way and try to stop them from playing; because if you don’t do that they can hurt you.
“The result here and what has happened in other games gives us the belief that maybe, just maybe we have given ourselves a chance.
“We know that it will be a tough challenge and an uphill task but we have now taken it down to the final game of the season and after the poor performance on Tuesday that was all we could ask for.
“We questioned the players after Tuesday, ‘had they jacked it in?’ and I think you saw today their answer to that.
“We are still there with a fighting chance, however slim it may be.”
That slim chance which Laws refers to relies on Colchester United losing to Carlisle and the Iron having to beat Swindon Town at home; as well as there being a three-goal swing in goal difference.
Despite being the underdogs and still favourites for the drop, the United boss firmly believes that his side’s unexpected result at Stadium:MK will have Joe Dunne’s men anxiously looking over their shoulders.
“That (result) will have shocked them, along with many others,” he admitted.
“Nobody expected us to come here and get a result and I think that will have them looking over their shoulders just a little bit more.
“If they are honest I think they would have expected to have had safety wrapped up today.
“Now they have to go in Monday and start their preparations just the same as we do.
“Will there be nerves? Undoubtedly; but as I have said before it is about being men and holding our nerve.
“What we have done now is given ourselves the chance to take it down to the last minute of the last game of the season.”
See much more from Brian Laws, Karl Hawley and Sam Slocombe on The Iron Player.