Iron manager Nick Daws said there was ‘no hiding from it’ after the home defeat against Fleetwood Town on Wednesday night.
United were made to pay for a costly 13-minute spell midway through the first-half, where they conceded four goals (a brace apiece for Ched Evans and Wes Burns). There was a further goal from Ashley Hunter during the second period.
“We conceded some terrible goals through bad individual and bad team defending, and that’s cost us. There’s no hiding place from it, it’s simply not acceptable,” Daws told iFollow Iron.
“We’ve got to be better and more mentally resolute. The players are down and disappointed, as you’d expect, and we all are.
“We’ll go back into work tomorrow (Thursday) and try to right the wrongs. There is no alternative, for myself the coaching team and all the staff. We’re professionals.
“The players are hurting and haven’t not tried tonight. They just didn’t get things right as a team, and it’s our responsibility to make sure we collectively get that right sooner rather than later.”
Striker Stephen Humphrys came off midway through the second period, and the manager said it was a precautionary measure.
“It was just a tight hamstring,” he said. “It happened in the corner a couple of minutes before so we monitored him and decided it’d be a foolish risk to keep him out there.
“I can understand the supporters’ frustration at us taking off a striker and bringing another one on, but there was a legitimate reason for that, and it’s my responsibility to also look after the team’s wellbeing when necessary.”
A positive though was midfielder Funso Ojo making his first start of the season, and also coming through the full game.
Daws continued: “I thought, for his first game back, he was excellent. He brings that understanding and desire to be the best he can possibly be. There was a decision about whether to take him off at a certain point but I checked with him and he said he was okay, so he carried on.”
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