Hill: We will not shy away from any challenge

Iron first team manager Keith Hill says his side will be bidding to respond as they prepare to host Solihull Moors on Saturday afternoon, as his team look to bounce back from the losses at Maidenhead United and Woking.

"There are bumps in the road no question about that but the performance wasn’t good enough and the players have accepted that," began Hill as he spoke to Iron Player earlier today.

"There is no time to linger on a negative and we have a clear plan that is going to take time. Preparation has gone well and there is naturally a little bit of self doubt because of the performance (on Tuesday at Woking). The performance levels which we studied on Tuesday were just not acceptable in any way shape or form, but hopefully that is just one game in isolation. We can’t overcomplicate things, and other things will have to be addressed, but they have to be addressed by the players.’’

Hill also insisted that good work across the summer months had led to the team already having strong working procedures in place.

"There has to be a clear plan, especially in those tough moments there has to be and there can’t be too many opinions and there can’t be too many swings in direction," he said.

"There is a good group of players here. There is a clear plan in place and that’s not for right here, right now but it’s also for the future of the football club. There is a lot of good work going on around the ground, there is a lot of good work going on in the training pitch. We have to be judged on our matchday results. But we know if the performance levels are better than they were on Tuesday night, that we will win football matches."

In terms of injuries, full-back Kgosi Ntlhe returned to the pitch during our midweek defeat in Surrey and the United manager hopes he will have a full squad to select from come 3pm on Saturday afternoon, too.

"I think so [on looking good injury wise]. I think there is probably a little bit of mental scar tissue and a slight bit of travel tiredness but this is the industry that we are in - we all love it," he added. 

"I wake up every morning with an appetite to improve, an appetite to work hard on behalf of the supporters, and I’m looking forward to the weekend’s fixtures. It’s a challenge no question about that. One thing is for sure we will not shy away from that challenge."

Hill also provided an update on returning goalkeeper Owen Foster, who has recently been out of action due to an ongoing stomach problem that has seen him miss the Iron’s first three league encounters.

He said: "For Fozzy [Owen Foster], it’s a struggle for him at the moment as he needs to put weight back on. He needs time most definitely. It’s the same for a lot of the young players. It’s taken him back and it’s taken us back because he is an exceptional talent that is going to be a real benefit to the football club, but at this moment in time we have to take small steps with him. We can’t rush him as he is still only a young player and we can’t forget that."

Finally, looking ahead to our opponents this weekend, Solihull came ever so close to promotion to the EFL last season, missing out at the final hurdle in the play-off final against Grimsby Town. Hill has insisted both he and his players will not underestimate the challenge the Moors will no doubt bring to Glanford Park.

"They have been for quite a while now [a force at this level]. They are in a position where they narrowly missed out on promotion last season, and they have recruited well to add to an already strong existing squad."

See much more from Keith Hill and Marcus Dewhurst on Iron Player.