The Iron’s on-loan goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik believes that the positive atmosphere around the squad can help the club to bounce back at Chesterfield this weekend.
Last Saturday the Iron lost 2-0 at high-flying Bristol City, but face a much shorter trip this week as they aim to get back to winning ways.Scunthorpe had won their previous two matches going into the game, and put in an impressive performance at Ashton Gate.
Olejnik was confident that the squad would swiftly put Saturday’s defeat behind them though and return to winning ways.
He told The Iron Player: “I think we’ve proven already that we can beat Chesterfield and we can beat the teams that will be around about where we want to be this season.
“I know Bristol City are a fantastic side and I think if they don’t go up I will be very surprised. They’ve got huge, huge sums of money and a fantastic squad, so I’m expecting them to go up.
“We’ve got a real good spirit out there and I think we had a few chances out there, so it wasn’t as if we were sitting deep and defending the whole game. We had some very good chances and attacked well on the counter-attack.”
The Iron will go into Saturday’s clash full of confidence having already defeated Chesterfield in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy this season, which Olejnik feels gives the Iron a psychological edge.
He said: “I think it’s all in the mind. We’ve beaten them already and it sends out a statement because we didn’t just beat them by chance.
“We played really well and I think teams will come here and we’ll think we can beat them. They will be thinking we’ve lost once against them already so will expect a really tough game.”
The Iron will hope that they can remain solid and can cut out some of the mistakes that have cost the Iron goals so far this season.
Olejnik prides himself on clean sheets and believes that the relationship he has established with his defensive colleagues will help the Iron achieve this.
He said: “I think it’s going really well. We’ve been good and solid in games so far, we’ve not really conceded too many bad goals.
“We’ve had a really good communication and I’m starting to understand what my defenders want and so we’ve established a really good relationship.”
The togetherness of the squad has made this possible for Olejnik who felt right at home when joining the club from Peterborough.
It was originally a short term loan deal, but has since been extended and the ‘keeper admitted that it has felt like he has been with the club much longer.
He said: “It’s been absolutely brilliant and it feels like I’ve been here years, it’s literally like that. I’ve spoken to everyone in the dressing room and there aren’t any groups or anything like that.
“It’s just an amazing dressing room and it’s a close one, which I think is shown on the pitch as well.”
The atmosphere in the dressing room has not suffered despite the defeat at Bristol City and Olejnik believes that will help them bounce back.
He said: “It’s been the same, the manager and everybody trying to keep a positive trend. It’s not always been the best of results, but it’s taking it step by step and stopping conceding silly goals.
“We’ve stopped this and cut it out and we’ve been creating chances, so it’s been huge in the mood in the camp and that’s why it’s been positive.”
It has been an experience that the Peterborough loanee has really enjoyed so far and he admitted he was pleased to be back playing with such a great squad.
He said: “The main thing is the enjoyment. I’ve not had this much enjoyment for a very long time. It’s great just being here and it’s a great bunch of lads here.
“This is all I’ve been doing and all I know and its great just being here and playing.”
See much more from Bobby Olejnik, and others, on The Iron Player.