Scunthorpe United can't afford to dwell on Notts County defeat, says Tom Newey

DISHEARTENED but defiant, Tom Newey admits Scunthorpe United face a test of their mental strength over the next few weeks.

The Iron lost their third match in a row on Saturday when Dean Leacock’s goal nine minutes from time condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at Notts County.

It left the visitors with heads in hands, reflecting on a game they’d created more than enough chances to win.

Newey though, says the frustration must soon be forgotten if United are to make the most of their remaining eight games and secure their survival in League One.

“I thought we deserved to win the game, we created more chances than them and should have really put the game to bed,” said the full-back.

“We switched off at a set-piece and it’s cost us. We didn’t do our jobs individually. We didn’t win the first ball and the second ball we didn’t get either.

“We have to try not to dwell on it and move on quickly to the next one because if we dwell on it too much it will affect us.

“We had a lot of chances. On another day, they go in and we win the game comfortably, 2-0 or 3-0.

“We missed a few last week against Coventry as well. It’s important when we have these chances that we take them.

“But at least we’re creating chances, which is encouraging. It’s not like we’re not creating them.

“I’m sure one of these weeks we’re going to get two or three goals.”

Scunthorpe remain just above the bottom four thanks to Oldham’s 1-0 reverse at home to Bournemouth, but the Latics play one of their two games in hand tomorrow, against fellow relegation contenders Hartlepool.

Newey believes the Iron still have enough about them to stay up, though accepts their run-in, which pits them against the likes of table-topping Doncaster Rovers, the Cherries and Swindon Town, will make for a nerve-wracking end to the campaign.

“There’s still a lot of points to play for – 24 points, and I think 12 will get us safe, so if we get 50 per cent of those points maybe we’ll be safe,” he said.

“It’s important we don’t look at other people and try to concentrate on ourselves.

“We know we need at least four wins, so that’s our main aim.

“It is a tough run-in, but those teams will be nervous. They’re fighting for promotion and so forth.

“The pressure’s on them as much as it is on us.

“And sometimes when you’re not expected to win you perform better.

“In the last two games the fans can see the attitude the players are showing. We’re really working hard and we’re not having much luck at the moment, hopefully that will turn.

“The performances have definitely been there.

“We did okay at Brentford and lost 1-0, then we dominated the first 30 minutes against Coventry and they got a bit lucky with a deflected goal.

“We kept going and on Saturday I thought we more than held our own and created the better chances.

“It’s disappointing.

“We’ve just got to keep putting the performances in, like we have been doing, and hopefully the luck will turn.

“Of course it’s demoralising, but we’ve got to not dwell on it.

“It’s important we focus on the next game now, we can’t really look back.

“We should have won the game on Saturday. We know we should have won the game, we didn’t but it’s important we look to Doncaster next week.”