Jimmy Dean: We've got to kill it off

First team manager Jimmy Dean rued a number of missed chances and a poor goal conceded, describing the 1-1 draw against Peterborough Sports as two points dropped.

Jacob Butterfield had given the Iron an early second half lead before the visitors hit back with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining to snatch a point.

Speaking after the game, Dean said: “We missed a lot of chances. We dominated the ball, we dominated the territory, but we just didn’t get that second goal.

“We created some good chances in the first half and it was a great goal by Jacob (Butterfield) in the second half. That’s why we brought him back because he can produce those moments of magic.” 

The Iron boss was unhappy with the goal that his side conceded, with a ball into the box knocked down into the path of Dan Jarvis, who stabbed the ball into the roof of the net.

“We’ve got to kill it off and we didn’t,” he continued. 

“That’s what happens when you don’t and the defending for their goal was as bad as what I’ve seen down here. 

“We defended the first phase and all the set pieces they threw at us, which was the worry for us as they’ve got six players over six foot two. We’ve got it out and pressed the second phase but didn’t pick up our men at the back. There were two ready to tap it in. That’s the bit that’s unacceptable. Just do our jobs and we win the game.

“If we take our chances, it’s game over. We haven’t done that and it’s cost us.”

Reflecting on the positives that Scunthorpe can take out of the game, Dean compared the performances levels to seven days prior at Tamworth.

“The performance was better. We dominated the football match for me,” he continued.

“They’ve done everything I said they’d do in our pre-match. They’ve stuck in, they’ve caused us problems from a second phase of a set piece and they’ve taken their moment when it came. That’s what Peterborough Sports do and fair play to them. The positives from here are that we’re seven unbeaten, including pre-season. We’re two unbeaten in the league. 

“To be in that mix, you’ve got to aim for two points per game, and that’s where we are at. That’s certainly points dropped and there’s no getting away from it.”

Darlington are the next to rock up to Glanford Park on Tuesday night, with the side coming off the back of two slender losses with no points to their name thus far.

“They’ve lost 1-0 today,” he added. 

“We’ve just got to do us. We’ve got to focus on taking our chances and we cannot let this become a thing. You can blame the attackers for not taking their chances, but clean sheets win leagues and there was one there for the taking today and we haven’t taken it and that’s really disappointing.”

With 3,380 in attendance at Glanford Park for the game, and 3,328 of those being Scunthorpe supporters, Dean once again paid tribute to the atmosphere created for the squad.

“The fans were amazing and did what I asked them to do,” he said. 

“They made it hostile and I could see at a point where the Sports boys were struggling with the tempo and the atmosphere and what we were doing. It’s just the basics that have costs us. I’m gutted for the fans that we’ve not seen that one out and I’m gutted for us that we’ve not seen that one out. 

“There were a lot of positives out there and it’s only the second game of the season. We now move on to Tuesday where we have to go and try and win the game.”