Mark Robins was somewhat underwhelmed by United’s performance in their 2-0 loss against an eye-catching MK Dons on Tuesday.
Within the first five minutes the home side found themselves 2-0 ahead, thanks to a smart Will Grigg finish and then a penalty from the same player.It gave Scunthorpe the proverbial mountain to climb, and the Dons saw the game out relatively comfortably as it unfolded.
“I can’t vent my true feelings, because we have some very important games coming up," the manager admitted in his post-match press conference.
“The game on Saturday (against Crawley) is far more important than that one now.
“We didn’t really have an impact on the game, albeit against a team that were a really good side.”
Due to the way in which Scunthorpe started the game, one theory to explain the game which was put to the boss was that his team simply didn’t start the game quickly enough.
However, that was a suggestion that he somewhat rebuffed.
“I don’t think we can use that,” he assessed, when asked if it was a simply a case of MK Dons coming out of the blocks too quickly.
“In the first few minutes we had an opportunity to get on the end of something and it hasn’t happened.
“Following that, they’ve broken upfield, moved it around a little, and the goalkeeper (Luke Daniels) has made a really good save.
“But then (Will) Grigg’s got on the end of it.
“The second goal was very similar.”
The decision-making processes of his players was something that the manager suggested that he and his players need to work on, however.
He felt that his players had at some points played into the home side’s hand by chasing balls which they were unlikely to win.
“We made poor decisions far too often to go and win the ball back,” he said.
“They just played it around us.
“We don’t make the correct decisions quickly enough to affect the game.
“The second half was the only positive I can take.”
Looking forward however, the Iron boss admitted that his side’s attention must now alter very quickly.
The Iron have matches against Crawley and Port Vale looming on the horizon, with each match now of seemingly more significance.
“I can rant and rave as much as I like in the dressing room,” he acknowledged.
“But the whole point of it now is to get them up for Saturday.
“It’s a big, big game; and again on Tuesday against Port Vale.”
See much more from Mark Robins, John Lundstram and Marcus Williams on The Iron Player.