Scunthorpe fans make their feelings known after shock 4-0 thrashing by Darlington

Scunthorpe fans make their feelings known after the shock 4-0 thrashing by Darlington at Blackwell Meadows on Tuesday night.

The Iron won 4-0 victory over the Quakers at Glanford Park at the beginning of the National League North season, but it seems they are starting to slip at the wrong time.

This week, the visitors struggled to handle Darlington, who have transformed for the better under new manager Steve Watson.

By half time, the score was already at 3-0, with goals coming from Cameron Salkeld (2) and Cedric Main, then Matty Cornish grabbed another, making it Quakers’ fourth consecutive win in what was their best performance of the season.

And you can really get a sense of just how negative fans felt in the away end as players made their way back in at both half time and full time…

INTERVIEW WITH WATSON:

Interviewer: Steve congratulations what an incredible victory that was

SW: Great night for the club really you know they were they were um they were in full voice all game and another one of those games similar to Curzon where we came up against a very good football side um who build a lot of play up down the down the width so I just I was really pleased that um that the shape worked out tonight and and the players all done the jobs like to the letter so it was just a just a really good night

Interviewer: We seem to catch the Scunthorpe defence flat footed on the turn on several occasions in that first half

SW: Yeah I mean the again like Curzon they are a very good possession based side build up a lot of their play down the width and the fullbacks bomb on and we and we knew that if uh if we could nick the ball um and win the ball in transition uh we could exploit the space behind and uh as I say that’s what kind of how it worked out but just apart from that you know some of some of the patience and some of the football we played was really good uh showed loads of energy but for me the most pleasing thing of the night was obviously a clean sheet and I just thought we defended the box heroically um everybody was on the front foot everybody went and attacked the ball we weren’t waiting for somebody else we literally took uh took took the crosses and and the game by the scruff the neck in our box, blocks and work rate was exception there was a few knocks out there you know will had a dead leg um Matty had a bad ankle from a tackle um so it was good that we were able to know use use the subs and give Johnny and and Hayden a little bit of game time as well so yeah I mean it’s just one of those nice everything seemed to work out

Interviewer: The first goal settled us down didn’t it, was well created as well with the nod down by Platty at the power for for Cameron to score

SW: Yeah you know I’m pleased for Cam I’ve known Cam for a long time I had him at Gateshead I know he’s had a bad injury and and I know and I know that he was desperate to to be to be playing um and he’s done really well coming off the bench but haven’t given as many starts as probably he would have wanted it was his chance tonight and then all you can do when you get a chance is take it and he certainly took that tonight so just gives us another really good option in and around those positions

Interviewer: And Cedric showed his strength didn’t he for the second goal I mean he had two defenders up against him and then he shook them both off and knocked it past the keeper

SW: Yeah I think even when Cedric’s not in the game for great amounts of time he still occupies defenders so you’ll always have two or three defenders around him and uh that you know that open space up for other people and he’s really good at doing that he’s really good at opening space up for other people but um it was good for him to to to get another one as well tonight

Interviewer: 3-0 at half time what did you say to the lads it was in the halftime team talk look just keep it calm lads we expect them to come at ya?

SW: Well the manner of the goal on Saturday was obviously very lucky but you know they did start really quickly you know they got out the blocks and it was important that obviously we knew Scunthorpe would be reeling after the after the score line in the first half so we knew they’d come out out the blocks at us but it was just really important we didn’t get messy and we didn’t uh we just kept with shape and we allowed uh we kept two good banks of four on a low block and we just kept to the game plan really and they had a lot of possession and had a lot of possession around us and then when they did put balls into the box we dealt with them really well I mean the goalkeeper again just outstanding his decision making and and his you know the crosses that he comes and takes defy his years really so he’s been he’s been great since he’s came in and that was as I say clean sheets are the base fan he successful side and that that was a really important one tonight

Interviewer: 4-0 with Matty Cornish and it was just about game over then wasn’t it

SW: Yeah I mean even at three when you when you’ve had the season that we’ve had that’s not even as comfortable as it should be but as I said the the the shape was really good and and we didn’t you know we didn’t get penetrated many times but there’s always that chance that that could score from a from a shot from distance or a deflection and then all of a sudden um so that yeah you’re right the fourth goals is the one that sort of allowed us to sort of relax on the bench a little bit and as I say at the end they they could have just kept the ball or down to down to 10 men and we could have just kept the ball at the back we’re still trying to score um so that was probably that was probably the most I being all night when I just thought well just get yourselves a breather keep the ball and and uh see the game out

Interviewer: Well that’s four wins in four now and that’s put us up to fourth from bottom the unfortunate thing was that Rushall won at Banbury tonight but we’ve got some great momentum now haven’t we

SW: Yeah just I’m telling the lads to keep putting the phones away in the dressing room because we can only affect what we what we can do you know we can only win our games um you know that’s a really good spell you know had four out of four you know five out of six so it’s you know we’re going in the right direction but we can’t even begin to start thinking about anything else than the next game and it’s a local derby it’s an early kickoff the lads have you know there’s a few injuries we’re down the bare buttons really so you the lads have got to between now and and Saturday rest up and and then come out flying again on Saturday because we need another three points

INTERVIEW WITH JIMMY DEAN:

Interviewer: From messages from fans coming in has been embarrassing tonight. How do you explain yourself and your team after that?

JD: I can’t. They’re right. It was embarrassing. It was embarrassing for a minute. One, I just said, they’re nothing to take away from Darlington. I thought they were superb. The third manager this season. Steve’s transformed them. There was everything we wasn’t. They wanted it more than us. I thought our performance was disgraceful. As I said, we lacked everything that they had. Urgency, intensity, care, want. I didn’t see it coming. I’d be honest if I said I did. I didn’t see this coming after Saturday and Monday in training. And the other thing I’d say is, anything I say is on me. Everything will be talked about as a collective. I won’t talk about individuals. But ultimately this is me. It falls on me. This is me who’s responsible for this tonight.

Interviewer: If it’s on you, why did your players not turn up tonight then? Why couldn’t you perhaps motivate them for tonight?

JD: I don’t know. Like I say, after Saturday, after the Saturday before against Alfreton, two performances filled with heart and desire to come here like that tonight. Like I said, I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see it coming.

Interviewer: The goals as well. The nature of all four.

JD: Disgraceful.

Interviewer: Yeah.

JD: Disgraceful. First one, no pressure on the ball crossing, knock down deflection. Its gone. In the next two we’re talking about. We’ve gone with an attack inside tonight. I’ve picked the wrong team. If you sound where it starts. I mean, I’ll pick the wrong team tonight. Too expansive. But I’d still say that wasn’t their fault for the goal. The goals. The second and third. They’re just too long balls. The back falls like a zigzag trying to play off sides. He’s got in, finished third one. He’s played in beyond the left back. Whether that’s the centre off too deep or the left back too, I don’t know. I’d have to watch it. Ran for a great finish. Again. They’ve took the goals. They were clinical. Again. I can’t disagree with you. The fourth just made the sub, turned it over. Mistake from Clunan. Just as soon as he’s come on then. It’s carmalatus init. It’s embarrassing. You said it yourself. It’s embarrassing.

Interviewer: You said you picked the wrong team tonight. You were too expensive. Why didn’t you start with Michael Clunan in that holding role then?

JD: Because I just thought the free boys were excellent on Saturday, excellent. Getting us back into that game with ten men against eleven. Not just the free boys, the team I thought was just excellent the way we played and we wanted to carry that on.

Interviewer: Attacking wise, though, we can’t just talk about the defending because you didn’t look threatening at all tonight. Why are you lacking any kind of incisiveness or penetrativeness tonight?

JD: Again, I ain’t got answers for you. We looked inept, we looked two for us. Ultimate comes down to desire, doesn’t it? That’s what that comes down to. That performance tonight. Want you’re playing against some of these boys. They’ve been work yesterday and today. Some of these boys, down boys, not all of them, but some of them would have gone. Been worked yesterday and today. And we’ve come in as a professional football team and they’ve run over us. They’ve run over us. First contact, second ball is the basics. The ugly side of the game. We’re terrible turnovers, losing the ball, so expansive with the width of the pitch, we ain’t getting back into shape quick enough. It’s the basics. The basics left wanting miles off it.

Interviewer: Supporters will say, though, that you’re the manager, you should have the answer.

JD: I’ve given you the answers what’s gone wrong?

Interviewer: How do you change it?

JD: Obviously what’s gone wrong is not hard to identify. How do we change it? We analyse, we talk to the players about their responsibilities. Now they do it. I mean, this tonight, although this is first time this season it’s been anything like that. We obviously get a bit more discipline in the midfield. We’ve got to work out all the stuff I’ve talked about, really. All the stuff I’ve said we didn’t do. We do, don’t we?

Interviewer: How’s that performance, though, been coming since the turn of the year?

JD: I don’t think it’s been coming. No. Like I said, I didn’t see that coming.

Interviewer: Why?

JD: We’re getting four goals, we’re not close to that.

Interviewer: Why have the wheels fallen off, though so much since the turn of the year?

JD: Wheels fallen off is a bit strong. We’re still second in the league…

Interviewer: But just three weeks.

JD: Even after. Even after. But it’s not been good enough, has it? It’s not been anywhere near good enough. I think we’ve been a little bit unlucky in the games before that. Before tonight, some of the games have not been good enough, but tonight, which totally inept, lack personality, lack drive, lack desire, all the things that you don’t want associate when you’re a manager of a football team.

Interviewer: What have the players said about it?

JD: I’ll just leave it in the dressing room. I’ll leave it in the dressing room.

Interviewer: What do you do over the next few days? You’d be tempted to rip things up and overhaul it, but what can you do and what will you do?

JD: Well, we’re going to have to use the squad and we come Saturday, there’s enough to be changes. Going to have to get them in Thursday morning. The first thing they’ll be doing is watching the game. They’ll watch the game and they’ll see what we see and then obviously, we’ll work on the stuff that’s gone wrong and try and put it right and hopefully we’ll get a reaction, get a bit of desire back in the performance.

Interviewer: And how do you get through this period as manager? Because supporters will say that tonight was inexcusable and you’ve said tonight that you’re taking the blame for it.

JD: Yeah. They’re not wrong. It is inexcusable. How do you mean?

Interviewer: Well, how much are you now feeling the pressure after that?

JD: Of course I’m feeling the pressure. That’s diabolical tonight, I don’t want to be associated with stuff like that as much as anyone else don’t. But what do I do? I do my job. I do my job. I analyse the game and come back in Thursday and try and put that right.

Interviewer: Title now gone tonight now?

JD: Yep. 100%. Gone.

🗣 “It ultimately comes down to desire”

⚽ @SUFCOfficial‘s Jimmy Dean talks to @olivercturner after their defeat at Darlington:🔽#Iron | #BBCFootball | @RadioHumberside https://t.co/t0p5ynczl8

— BBC Humberside Sport (@HumbersideSport) March 5, 2024

Twitter users had their say while Scunthorpe fans make their feelings known after the shock 4-0 thrashing by Darlington…

@capsnbovril: We’ve had 90% of the ball tonight and not troubled their keeper once. You’ve built a team of pretty boys Jimmy, they can’t scrap on a cow field which they need to do to get out of this league. All well and good blowing teams away early season, they’re not laying down anymore.

@happyangler123: He was out of his depth when he come , he did turn things round but he’s drowning fast now . Totally clueless on how to get us promoted , as said a team of pretty boys , all wind and p!ss no end product , can’t see who scores goals now – new faces up front needed with passion

@StuJ87: It comes down to a piss poor manager that is tactically inept, can’t motivate his players, seems to have no trust from the players, and is completely out of his depth.

@JoshuaFish19: Announce the sacking tonight

@sufcsam17: The fans continue to turn up, but the players are nowhere to be seen.

@NPC14: JD HAS to go, all the goodwill from Saturdays fantastic effort gone. Struggled for a while now.
Has to be his final game at Scunny

@safiron15: Shocking performance. Message to the players – After we all stuck our hands in our pockets to help you out for your wages earlier in the year, how about you return the favour and refund the supporters who spent their hard earned money going up to Darlington tonight?

@chriswatki1974: Change needed, we can’t keep doing the same thing week after week and expect a different outcome

@LynnoJay: There’s ya 4-0 back 😘

@dxnrzx: Bottled the league, now bottling the playoffs. Embarrassing!

@iron_matt84: Second best to a bunch of part timers AGAIN! Disgraceful.

@unopinionated_t: I never liked the appointment, it never felt right, now it’s time to do the right thing.

@NPC14: We no longer desire JD as Scunthorpe manager, he surely has to go

@THESnafu: “Title gone?” “Yes, 100%”. Promotion itself is now very questionable

@fletch138: Shocker for any team to lose to Darlo but especially so for a team expecting to walk this “farmers league”

@DarloSince1883: 4 wins in a row for Darlo, who are now one of the best teams in the league.

@OliverUrry: Players and management all to blame

@simonseffers: Time for changes, top to bottom

@GarethDaws65413: Very honest from Jimmy. He’s always come across as a good man, this job is just a step to far for him in my opinion. Surely it’s time to Walk away with some credit in the bank, at our lowest Dean was a brilliant leader but now it’s about football and he’s onto a loser!

@chriswatki1974: There needs to be a new voice in the dressing room, he’s lost the players, and has no idea how to stop the rot. In the summer get rid of anyone on the pitch who doesn’t want to be there

From the spirit and togetherness on Saturday to this tonight. Outfought and outrun from minute 1. Only one decision to be made now. pic.twitter.com/thtfacpCAE

— Alex (@alex_scunny) March 5, 2024

Not good scenes to see at Darlo (A). Players and manager need to look long and hard in the mirror tonight #UTI pic.twitter.com/dRStib6mIM

— Luke Johnston (@Luke_JSUFC) March 5, 2024

Darlington 4-0 Scunthorpe @Official_Darlo pic.twitter.com/eBSSd186wV

— ⚽️Soph⚽️ (@darlofanatic1) March 5, 2024