Jacob Butterfield gave his reaction to Iron Player following the 2-0 defeat away at Wrexham in the Vanarama National League on Tuesday.
The Iron gave a strong account of themselves on the whole at The Racecourse Ground in a hard-fought and spirited performance.
United hit the post and drew Wrexham ‘keeper Rob Lainton into a couple of fine saves, but two penalties won and scored by Paul Mullin meant the points stayed with Wrexham.
Giving his initial reaction, Butterfield began by saying: “I feel like we played well and in the first half I thought we were much the better team, played the better football, and had the most efforts on goal with good possession in and around the box too.
“If anybody deserved to be 1-0 up at the break it was us, so it was disappointing we went in one-down through a penalty decision.
“Obviously they’re a really strong team in this division, and we should take confidence from it, but we’re disappointed we didn’t get anything from it because there was a genuine belief in the group that we could come here and get the result.
“I feel like we performed in that manner [to get a result] but unfortunately it went against us.”
Touching on the first half penalty which went against the Iron, the midfielder said: “I thought it was a bit soft from my angle but only the two players involved would really know, but I wasn’t convinced to be honest.
“It does change the game a little bit because they didn’t create much in the first half, as the half went on I felt like we were getting stronger, so if we’d have come in at 0-0 or 1-0 up it would have made a difference.
“But saying that we stuck to it and were well in the game really, another breakaway counter and another penalty at the end, I don’t feel like it was a 2-0 game.
“If it weren’t at Wrexham away, probably the most difficult fixture in the league, I feel like maybe that performance would probably beat a lot of teams in this division.
“I don’t think it was a fluke performance. I feel like that is what we are capable of and I feel like we need to keep believing, producing that level and even more going forward, and I think we’ll get the wins we need.”
Butterfield revealed how manager Jimmy Dean reacted to the performance on the whole following the game, saying: “If anything it’s enhanced his belief in the group and what we’ve got, and I think he’s taken confidence from it despite the defeat."
After taking up a more advanced role in the setup and producing two fine assists on Saturday against Dagenham & Redbridge previously, the 32-year-old is enjoying the added freedom that comes with the position.
He said: “I’m really enjoying it, I’ve got a bit of freedom, and I like getting on the ball higher up the pitch where I can affect the game.
“Hopefully I can continue to keep creating chances and goals for the team to do everything I can to help us get the wins.”
With two lengthy trips in the space of a handful of days for the Iron, 244 supporters made the trip to North Wales on Tuesday to back the lads.
“We need them [the fans], they’re brilliant,” he began.
“There feels like a feel-good factor with everything that has gone on, a real freshness about the place, and I feel like the fans feel that as well.
“They were brilliant and cheered us off at the end. I think they could see that it was a good performance and that they were happy with what we gave them tonight, hopefully that continues, and we’ll try our very best to keep performing to that level for them."
Hear more post-match thoughts from manager Jimmy Dean and midfielder Jacob Butterfield on Iron Player.