First team manager Keith Hill spoke to iFollow Iron after his side were beaten 3-2 by Bristol Rovers at the Sands Venue Stadium on Tuesday night.
On-loan striker Sam Burns pulled two goals back late on to get off the mark for the Iron, but the damage had been done earlier on as the away side took a 3-0 lead.
Hill said: "I was disappointed with the way we defended individually and collectively, and I certainly wasn't expecting that.
"We played quite an attacking line-up and I thought in the first half we challenged the opponents, pressed and tried to pass the ball through them or over them, but our defending left a lot to be desired. It wasn't a good night for our defenders.
"We didn't accept the challenge of our opponents. There's got to be a physical element to the way we defend and the basic defending, as well as the duels, is tracking runners.
"We played an attacking midfield but all I ask for is honest running and honest hard miles. It's difficult for the players to see it when they're in-field but when we show it back they don't believe that they've stopped, stood still and watched the opponents run into the box and score goals. It's education as much as anything. We do suffer as a consequence of mistakes made, but out of that suffering I believe good things did happen towards the end of the game.
"I'm so pleased for Sam Burns because he got his two goal reward. He's ran hard, worked hard, been humble and got his two goals. I'm really pleased for him, for Ty (Sinclair) coming on and playing a part in the first goal, and I'm really pleased for Harry Lewis (who came on at half-time for his second professional appearance) because I can see light at the end of the tunnel (with elements such as that). There was a response but you don't want to end up playing only when you're 3-0 down.
"The opposition caused us problems they shouldn't gave really caused us all night but that was down to ourselves rather than the opponents. We have to be better or we won't have anything to build on. We had an energy but didn't take the defensive responsibility."
See much more from Keith Hill and Sam Burns on iFollow Iron.