Defender Manny Onariase spoke to iFollow Iron to preview the home league encounter against Walsall on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Despite the disappointing midweek loss at Mansfield Town, the 24-year-old is looking forward to the penultimate home game of the season and the chance to earn three more valuable points.

Reacting to the previous match, he said: “We are annoyed and frustrated. It’s one of those games we have watched back and analysed. You learn a lot from those matches, and as frustrating as it is, it shows us things that we need to do so we can finish off strong for the season. It’s one to forget, but one to learn from at the same time. 

“We should have been better at organisation, it wasn’t great, and they had a clear structure of how they wanted to play and were quite effective at it. I just think we didn’t match them. Physically, they ran harder than us, battling all over the pitch, they battled more than we did. I think they were on top of us and they kept position of the ball better than we did. We didn’t retain it as much as we would have liked, and that harmed our game.” 

Returning from a hamstring injury lay-off in the game at the One Call Stadium, Onariase had missed the previous four matches.

He said: “It’s good to be back out there. The aim, as the gaffer said, is to finish off strong, which is very important. Put in good performances and get as many good results as we can. If we’re losing, as bad as it sounds, there is a right way to lose. If you’re losing and giving everything you possibly can do, then you hold your hands up.”

Previewing this Saturday’s home game, he said: “I thought our home form has been fairly decent recently, so we just need to build on that. We’ve not conceded much at home, but we need to carry it on, and put in a real resilient, rigid and solid performance. 

“It would be great to become mathematically safe (from relegation), and they’re right next to us. Winning the game puts us above them which is a real incentive to climb up the table and, as the gaffer said, finish strong as we possibly can.”

See much more from Manny Onariase and Neil Cox on iFollow Iron. Click here to get your Iron v Walsall match pass.

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