Scunthorpe United FC

Russ Wilcox provided his reaction to iFollow Iron after the 2-0 home loss to Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

Idris El Mizouni and Paul Mullin were the goalscorers for the visitors in each half as United couldn’t build on the impressive 1-0 win over high-flying Cheltenham Town at the weekend. 

Wilcox said: “We’re really disappointed. We put out the same team that did so well (against Cheltenham Town) on Saturday, but we looked a shadow of that team.

“You have to give Cambridge credit, as they came and did a job on us. They kept good shape, were organised and it was scrappy. The conditions didn’t help but I said to them at half-time that in those kinds of games you’ve got to grind it out and make sure you’re still in the game.

“We gave away a cheap free-kick on the edge of our box and that’s something we speak about all the time, not giving silly fouls away. We gave a cheap one away and got punished with a good finish from the lad. All of a sudden, you’re chasing the game and have an uphill battle.

“We didn’t deserve anything from the game. The quality wasn’t good enough. Yes, the conditions weren’t great but they passed it better than us, and pressed us better than we pressed them. We tried to make changes and freshen it up but it didn’t really work.

“In the second-half we had a bit more of ago. Andy Butler and Harrison McGahey didn’t really have a lot to do in the second period and they scored against the run of play with the second goal. That killed the game totally and they just sat in then.

“We chased the game and didn’t really look like scoring tonight, which was unusual for us with that front four. They boxed off our wide players really well, and credit to Cambridge as they deserved the three points.

“It is small margins. They were dogged, hard to beat, hard to break down, organised and played on the counter like in the previous two games they’ve won. Sometimes that’s all you need to do in League Two. It doesn’t have to be pretty football all the time. You have to earn the right to play and try to get that first goal.”

When asked whether its given him food for thought for the Swindon away game at the weekend, he continued: “It has to. You always think after should you have freshened up but I’m a big believer in momentum. However, after a performance and result like that you have to rethink things as a manager.

“Apologies to the fans because they pay a lot of money. We gave them a good victory on Saturday and it was vice versa today. We didn’t give them enough to shout about. We have to regroup and go again for a really tough game on Saturday at Swindon.”

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