Iron manager Graham Alexander was disappointed to lose against Southend, after the home side scored a stoppage time winner.
His side took the lead in the first-half through Tom Hopper, but ended up losing the game at Roots Hall 3-2 after Kevin van Veen had levelled the scores during the second period.
Alexander gave his reaction to iFollow Iron after the match.
ON THE 3-2 DEFEAT…
GA: It was frustrating to not pick up the three points, let alone one. Over the course of the game a point would have been a fair reflection. We have conceded right at the last minute twice on the trot now. We have to mentally get better and we need to start seeing results out. I don’t think we have that nous at the moment and we have to get it. I know we have got a lot of young players out there who are learning the game, but they have to learn quick. I thought it was a game where we didn’t really play, considering the pitch and the weather. I thought sometimes that we played into their hands and it was a game we should have at least got a point from. To lose it in the last minute is really disappointing.
ON SOUTHEND’S FIRST GOAL…
GA: There was not much we could do with the actual cross that goes into the net. That gave them the lead they needed. That luck has given them a boost and I just felt that today was down to a lack of experience. Not so much about conceding that goal, but the reaction after it. Then going into the second-half, the goals we have conceded are certainly preventable and we should do better.
"I thought sometimes that we played into their hands and it was a game we should have at least got a point from. To lose it in the last minute is really disappointing."
ON CREATING CHANCES AND DEFENSIVE WORK…
GA: It is about both sides of the game. We go and create opportunities and we took two today, but we were quite wasteful in front of goal too. We have to sort out these goals we are conceding because I don’t think they are of a great standard where people have ripped us apart. It is costing us. I have to address that this week. We work on things going into these games and we still feel we have good quality players out there to win a game of football, which we proved in December when we were lacking numbers. We have had a difficult January and we need to address it quickly.
ON RYAN YATES’ DEBUT…
GA: I thought he did well. I think he was one of the ones that played what was needed in the game. The pitch was like a cow field, and with the wind and the rain, it was not going to be a pretty game. You have to win your second balls, dominate your opponent physically and move the ball quickly. I thought he did that, but not all of us did that. Our quality should have outshone them. We have given poor goals away from nothing. That has happened in the last three games.
ON RORY WATSON’S SAVES…
GA: He shouldn’t have to make that many saves. Some were from quite a long range, so it is something we will have to look at. He made some very good saves, but we have still conceded three goals. That is the reality of it and we have lost the game.
ON CAMERON BURGESS’ RED CARD…
GA: There were other challenges in the second-half on us that were very late and much worse than that. They were not dealt with a yellow card. I spoke to the fourth official and he completely agreed with it. I said I wanted consistency and the next time we have a challenge similar, I wanted that freedom, but we didn’t get it and got the red card.
ON MOVING FORWARD…
GA: We have to seriously look at what we have done in the last three games. All of those games were winnable as we have not been outplayed, and have had opportunities for ourselves. The goals we have conceded are of poor quality.
ON PLAYER INJURIES…
GA: Kevin van Veen had to come off because he got a kick on his foot. There are a couple of others, but we will have to see how they are on Monday. The only pain we are feeling at the moment is the result.
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