Iron manager Nick Daws felt Doncaster Rovers were deserved winners in the Carabao Cup first round clash at Glanford Park on Tuesday night.
Mallik Wilks and Danny Andrew scored the goals that saw the visitors progress to the next round of the competition, as the game ended 2-1.
Stephen Humphrys pulled one back for United in added time after John Marquis saw his penalty kick saved brilliantly by Rory Watson in the Scunthorpe goal.
“I thought the team kept going and showed effort and desire, but there was perhaps a lack of understanding in how to deal with a side that moved the ball in a number of ways so well, and that’s credit to the opposition.”
Importantly, Jordan Clarke, Rory McArdle, Josh Morris and Ryan Colclough got valuable game time after not getting as many minutes as they’d have liked in pre-season.
“I was pleased that certain players got more minutes under their belt, with some getting 90 minutes when I didn’t think they would,” said the manager. “The overriding thought though is we need to be better than we were. We will work hard to look at how to resolve some of the problems that we had tonight and if we face somebody as good as that in the future I’m sure we’ll be better for it.
“Ultimately we’re disappointed that we didn’t make the best use of our possession. At times, we moved the ball really well and were brave. In possession, that’s streets ahead of where we’ve been in the last couple of games and that can be a real positive we can take forward.”
It’s on to Sunderland in the league on Sunday now as United look to respond in the best way possible.
Daws explained: “We will have to be at our best to get a result. We can’t dwell on getting turned over tonight. We have to bounce back, work hard from tomorrow and be ready for Sunderland on Sunday.”
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