United manager Mark Robins was encouraged from his team’s efforts as they drew their second game under his leadership against Port Vale.
The Iron went ahead after just four minutes of play through skipper Neal Bishop, but the lead was short lived, before the visitors to Vale Park were pegged behind in the second half.Scunthorpe then lost former Valiant Jennison Myrie-Williams for a second bookable offence, before striker Lyle Taylor restored parity.
“We were very good in the second half,” Robins told The Iron Player.
“The players gave me everything. They gave me a headache with Jennison getting sent off, but we controlled the second half, broke them down and we started to get forward and started to create opportunities.
“That’s why Billy (Kee) came on. I know Billy was chomping at the bit and is capable of scoring goals. He proved that he could open them up a little bit and he looked lively when he came on.
“We lost that momentum because of the sending off, something I wasn’t best pleased about because it was a poor one. He’s left the ground and he cost us that momentum. We conceded a poor goal and then worked really hard to get back into it.
“There’s been some really good stuff tonight and there’s been some really, really frustrating stuff. We know that’s the case at the moment. As long as they keep up this effort, look me in the eye and try and do what I ask of them, that’s all I can ask at this stage.”
Scunthorpe came racing out of the blocks, taking the lead inside four minutes, before being pegged back just two minutes later. The Scunthorpe boss, in his second game since taking charge, gave his overall thoughts on the four goals.
“It was a great move down the right (for the first goal),” he continued.
“It was a great ball into the penalty area and a great burst from Bish (Neal Bishop), from which he’s got his rewards. That’s what he does well.
“We then conspired to shoot ourselves in the foot. We should have dealt with the cross (for the equaliser) in the first instance and then when it comes in we should have dealt with the ball and we didn’t.
“The second was very similar. You can say that there were mistakes all over the place, but we’ve created opportunities.
“They’re a side that are fighting for their lives, just as we are, even at this early stage of the season. We came here to try and get an away win at Port Vale. Doing that just lifts things a little bit more.”
He added: “But, we’re unbeaten (tonight, and in the last three games), you’ve got to look at the positives. We’re unbeaten, we’ve worked our socks off and we’ve not lost with ten men.”
See much more from Mark Robins, Lyle Taylor and Neal Bishop on The Iron Player.