United full back Marcus Williams is confident his side can keep climbing the League One table as the Iron prepare for this weekend’s home clash with Leyton Orient at Glanford Park.
Scunthorpe won their second match of the League One season on Tuesday night when they came out on top in a tough test against Coventry City with a 2-1 win.Williams told The Iron Player: “It was a massive three points for us, especially considering the results in the last couple of games. We have climbed a couple of places and if we go into the game on Saturday and get a good result we’ll be moving up the ladder quickly.
“It’s always a great feeling to win and it lifts all the boys up. More importantly so with Coventry, we were talking about it after the game they are one of the best sides that we’ve come up against. They were organised, sharp and kept the ball even when they went down to ten men, so they’re a very good outfit.”
Goals from Paddy Madden and Lyle Taylor proved to be enough to beat Coventry, who were reduced to ten men when Reda Johnson was sent off in the first half. The visitors had taken an early lead through Frank Nouble but a Scunthorpe comeback was completed when Taylor powered home an exquisite header to secure a vital three points and earn a third straight win at Glanford Park for Russ Wilcox’s side.
Williams, who played the 90 minutes at left back, believes that despite coming up against a strong Coventry side he and his team mates always felt they’d have enough to claim the win.
He said: “There were spells in the game where it was frustrating because they kept hold of the ball. But we knew that we could get a goal and that we could nick it, especially off our own performance. The last few home games we’ve won so the confidence is there and our home performances are developing.
“If we can keep our home form going and do everything as we have been doing then obviously we’ll have a good chance. But we do need to start looking at our away performances. And pick up a few victories on the road.”
Tuesday’s win moved the Iron up to 21st in the League One table and was a third straight home win in all competitions. Following wins over Walsall, Chesterfield (in the Johnstones Paint Trophy) and most recently Coventry, the Iron will be hoping to make it four in a row when Leyton Orient travel to Glanford Park this weekend.
With Orient sitting level on points with the Iron, with only goal difference separating the two, Marcus Williams believes that it will be a good contest come 3 o’clock this Saturday.
He said: “Our home performances have been stronger, there’s consistency in the team and Leyton Orient aren’t doing well and they’ll want to kick-start their season, so it should be a good game.
“They’ve got great wide players, they’ve brought in new attackers from the championship so they’ll be a strong outfit who are very organised. We know their threats and we know that they are a strong outfit, I mean they were in the play offs last season. The last three games at home we have won so we’re going into the weekend with confidence. They’ve got great wide players, they’ve brought in new attackers from the Championship so they’ll be a strong outfit who are very organised.”
28 year old Williams, who began his career with the Iron back in 2003, has made seven appearances this season as he continues to be a consistent left back in the Iron defence. Following injury to skipper Sam Slocombe earlier in the season, Bobby Olejnik has come in on loan from fellow League One side Peterborough United.
Williams has been very impressed with the Austrian-born goalkeeper and believes Olejnik and the rest of the team deserve some clean sheets.
He said: “Bobby’s come in and been excellent, his distribution is good and he’s very loud which helps the back four so it’s good to have him but it’s about the team and putting in the performances and working hard.
“It’d be nice to get a clean sheet, I think we’re due one!”
Scunthorpe have now picked up seven points from seven games since winning promotion from League Two last season and have progressed to the second round of the Johnstones Paint Trophy.
With lots of fixtures in such a short space of time the Iron will be hoping to begin an unbeaten run, possibly emulating last season’s world record unbeaten run.
Buoyed by recent home victories, Williams has been grateful for the considerable support that the team has received from their supporters.
He stated: “It is nice when they get behind the lads. They are a massive support for us and they’re like an extra man to our team.
“There been a lot of games in this period, with Saturday-Tuesday back to back games so the boys are feeling it a little bit. It’ll be good to get a result at the weekend and then go into a fresh week where the boys can work on stuff on the training pitch, which will be nice.”
Saturday’s match against Leyton Orient will be a tough test for the Iron but following Tuesday’s victory and following three straight home wins, Marcus Williams and his team mates will be going in to the match with no fear and plenty of confidence.
See much more from Marcus Williams, Luke O'Neill and Russ Wilcox on The Iron Player.