United manager Mark Robins is looking forward to starting afresh when the Iron visit Chesterfield in an FA Cup replay on Tuesday evening.
After drawing 2-2 at Glanford Park last week, a second game in the third round tie is required, with the winner facing a trip to Sky Bet Championship club Derby County.“It’s all square,” Robins told The Iron Player, previewing the match.
“I was disappointed to lose the two-goal lead last week but the players have given me everything that they can. It’s another opportunity for us to get another tie in the competition and Derby await the eventual winners of it.
“It’s something we would all like to have, to win this game and pit our wits against a side near the top of the Championship.
“The most valuable thing (we can take from last week) is we were very good in the first half, not so much in the second, which cost us. They are a really good side and they threw caution to the wind in a cup competition, which can happen.
“We know it’s a tough ask with injuries and ineligible players, suspensions too, it’s been a tough trip for us in the FA Cup having played five games already.
“We go away from home, where we have been a bit stronger, and we both got good wins at the weekend but they will just edge it as favourites. We are not looking any further than the kick-off, it will be a tough game for both teams.”
Discussing team news ahead of the game, the manager revealed there would be no new additions to the squad, with the majority of our loan players ineligible, despite extending Liam O’Neil’s loan spell from West Brom until the end of the campaign.
“There’s nobody new to add to our squad,” he stated.
“We have two teams, two squads, where only one is available to us and we have nobody new available from the last tie.
“Isaiah Osbourne is okay (after illness), but he has been off for nearly a week so we have to monitor him. It doesn’t help us, that is certain.
"We’ve just been looking at those in the squad that would be available. Jordan Clarke is ineligible and Sean McAllister had a hamstring problem or cramp when we trained on Sunday, so he is a doubt for the trip, I am not optimistic he will be involved.”
Robins also added his excitement at sealing O’Neil’s services from the Baggies until the end of the campaign.
He said: “It’s really pleasing, he has been a good player for us, which is why I wanted to extend his deal, he has done really well, so I am hopeful.”
The weekend win at Walsall saw Robins’ side extend the current unbeaten run to eleven matches and the Iron boss has been pleased with the reaction from his players since taking the reigns at Glanford Park in October.
“It’s early days yet,” he added.
“The players deserve enormous credit because they are working hard.
"They have bought into what we are trying to do and if they continue to do that, the results will continue to be good.
“As soon as you take your foot off the gas, things start to go against you.
"I have no qualms so far, they are a good squad, a good set of lads and playing some good football and finding ways to win games of football, however that may be.
"If we can keep performance levels right, the results will keep coming and we need to keep the focus.”
See much more from Mark Robins and Sam Slocombe on The Iron Player.