Scunthorpe United boss Jimmy Dean shared his thoughts following the Iron’s 1-0 defeat at home to Eastleigh in the Vanarama National League.
Danny Whitehall’s first-half penalty opened the scoring for the Spitfires, with striker Kairo Mitchell dismissed for a straight red card early in the second period.
Despite our dominance with the ball during the second half, Scunthorpe couldn’t find a vital breakthrough, with Tom Pugh, Cameron Wilson and Ben Richards-Everton all having chances to draw United level.
"To get away from that first half, I thought we were miles off it. They were too and they weren't world beaters. They have done a great job in managing it [the game] and second half we just couldn’t score. It's frustrating."
With the visitors having been awarded a spot-kick in the first half, with Dean questioning the decision given against his side.
"It was soft," he said. "What I would say and, for those examples, if the referee is going to give them all I am going to ask is for consistency. We have had two or three shouts in the second half, decent shouts and we got nothing.
"Yet he then wants to decide a game, in effect, by giving them one like that. I am not one to come out to him and bemoan the refs, as we have previously and I don't mention it alot. I don't think he had a great game today and that's the truth."
With two shouts for our own penalty during the second half, the United boss again called for consistency in regards to the decisions across the 90 minutes.
"One of them there is two lads man-handling Ben [Richards-Everton] and he then blows up and he gives it the other way," Dean added. "The same when Pughy is in the corner with the ball and he goes through the back of him, I don't know what he gave and I even asked the fourth official and he didn't know. I just got told to go back in my box.
"We had a go and went for it in the second half but I don't think the officials have helped us much today, but then again we haven’t helped ourselves. We started the second well for the first 15 but we didn’t move the ball well enough. Second half I thought we had intensity even before the red card but I am just gutted."
Making two changes by bringing in both Bennett and Billy Fewster, Dean opted to shake things up following our 1-1 draw at Maidstone in midweek, insisting he tried to instil more control from the centre of the pitch.
"I changed shape because we wanted to play more football, and get more men in the box," Dean said. "We wanted to get men higher but I don't think we did that within our play. First half I dont think it worked but then in the second half it started to come a little.
"I don't think that was about the shape, we were too hapless in the game for 20/25/30 minutes. We wanted to have an extra midfielder to keep the ball. It was more about us not having that urgency that the game deserved. Not doing well enough in possession, not being brave enough, confidence if things aren’t going our way. Second half was a lot brighter and we were better with the ball."
Midfielder Alfie Beestin was forced to be withdrawn at the end of the first half, with the United boss also providing an update regarding the 25-year-old.
"It’s a hamstring injury and it is a big loss as he;s been terrific since I came to the club," he said. "He is a great player and I think we missed him after he went off. He would have been superb when they went down to ten as he is brilliant when teams put players behind the ball - he is the profile you need really. It doesn’t look good, it could be three-to-four weeks. I would guess with a hamstring injury but we will ask the medical team.’’
With a chance to put things right on Tuesday night against Altrincham, Dean insists results have to now come thick and fast.
"It is last chance saloon and results have all gone our way again," he said. "With that though, we cannot keep relying on other teams. We have to start winning games and I have said that to them, they know, the fans know, we have to start winning games.
"Altrincham have had a bad result today but we have to try and take advantage of that on Tuesday night. All runs start from somewhere and in two-to-three games it could all change, but it has to change now."