Iron manager Mark Robins felt his side had more than enough chances to pick up at least a point, after being narrowly defeated by Sheffield United.
Former United striker Billy Sharp bagged the only goal of the game just after half-time in what was a hard-fought fixture at Glanford Park.Speaking after the game, Robins stated that being clinical in the final third was the primary difference between the two sides on a chilly December afternoon.
He told The Iron PlayerHD: “It was a game of chances and the reason people have paid the big money for Billy is because he’s capable of doing what he did.
“They didn’t really have a lot of opportunities, they didn’t open us up at all really and it wasn’t a particularly great game but it was tough.
“It was hard-fought, we had a lot of the ball in their penalty area and a lot of chances to get an equaliser.
“There were a lot of golden chances that went begging and it’s come down to the ability to find the back of the net – that’s the disappointment.
“We created enough to get at least a point, possibly a win, and I don’t think either side will be saying they were particularly brilliant.
“Billy has worked hard to get his space, he’s finished well and that was the difference.”
Despite the reverse, there were stages of the match in which the Iron were controlling the flow and chances did arrive throughout the 90 minutes.
Robins will take the positives but was insistent that being more prolific in front of goal is where the side need to improve.
“There were balls into the box that were being asked to be put into the back of the net but we hadn’t gambled, we hadn’t anticipated which was very disappointing,” he continued.
“They didn’t create a great deal and we should have had at least a point.
“There were some positives to take out of the game and we passed the ball okay at times.
"We’re trying but sometimes we’re going to make mistakes. I can’t ask them to do something and then annihilate them when they don’t get it 100% right.
“You don’t evolve like that so we’ve got to keep going but also demand more of ourselves in the way that we’re finishing.
“When the ball gets played into the box, we’ve got to get at least one contact on it and then everyone else has got to find space and anticipate better.”
The manager wrapped things up by stressing the need to get back on the winning trail as United prepare to visit Doncaster Rovers on Boxing Day.
He added: “There’s loads of positives but no points.
“We have to be better and picking up points and scoring goals is part of it.
“The chances were there today but we’ve just got to be better.
“We need to get over it however. We’ve got to get Christmas out of the way and get back on it on Boxing Day.
“It’s a difficult one to take, it’s still sore, it still hurts, but we have had enough chances to get something from it.”
See much more from Mark Robins, Tommy Rowe and Scott Wiseman on The Iron PlayerHD.
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