He said: “We conceded from a set play, which we knew they were going to be a threat from. It’s not just the first phase of the set play, but it’s the second and third phase when you’ve got to clear your lines. They’ve invaded our box and scored a goal from a set play, which is really poor on our part.
“We knew it was going to be difficult, they’re a big side and play for set plays, but we didn’t do enough in the game. If I’m honest it was slow.
"Nat Wallace came on (for his league debut) and did really well, but that’s probably the only positive to take from today.”
The Iron had a penalty shout towards the end of the game, when Wallace was felled, and Tony was asked if it should have been given instead of a free-kick. He said: “100 per cent, but I can’t look for excuses. I can’t criticise the referee, because I’ll get in trouble, but everyone in the stadium saw it was a penalty. It was a definite penalty."
He went on to speak about the performance, adding: “It was slow, and it was always going to be, as that’s what games are like when they’re down to ten men. To be fair they really sat in, and they left two strikers on the pitch because they thought they could score a goal.
“We didn’t move it quick enough, and we had to use the extra man to switch the play and leave our wing backs isolated in a 1v1 with theirs when they’re tucked inside the pitch, and we didn’t do that. We huffed and puffed, and had a few half chances towards the end but nothing clear.”
Speaking further on Wallace making his debut, he said: “He’s a great kid, really bright, he wants to learn and wants to listen. He’s got what everyone wants too, and that’s speed. That speed is a threat, and once you get him 1v1, and faced up, he can stop and go again. It’s a proud moment for him, and he will take that with him for the rest of his career."
Finally, Tony looked ahead to Monday’s game against FC Halifax Town, adding: “If I was a player in there now, I’d be wanting to play tomorrow. It’s a quick turnaround, we know that, but we have to go again. What we can’t do is feel sorry for ourselves, and turn up on Monday and wait for something to happen. We have to turn up and make something happen.”
See much more from Tony McMahon and Jai Rowe on Iron Player.