IT WASN'T just the supporters who were encouraged by Scunthorpe United's opening day performance at Wycombe – so too were the players.

And now they have to start rebuilding Glanford Park as a home fortress, starting against Preston on Saturday.

That's the view of centre-back Paul Reid, who knows that consistency is going to be the key to success in League One this season.

"The way we played at Wycombe was really encouraging," he declared.

"I think it was vital to show that the game against Barnsley – and to be honest the majority of pre-season – was just a case of us getting fit rather than an indication of how we were going to perform in the league.

"All the lads, if you ask them, will give you the text book answer that we are a good team.

"But deep, deep down we all have our own thoughts and I think sometimes you need to see something to believe it.

"The lads themselves saw on Saturday that we can be successful in this division.

"We put down a decent marker. But that was just one game, we have got to carry that on now.

"If we have any ambition to be in the top six then we are going to have to learn to string a set of good results together."

Reid knows United's first home game against a team that came down with them from the Championship last season will be a tough one.

"Preston are in a similar boat to us. They have come down and want to bounce straight back," said Reid.

"They got off to a disappointing start against one of my old clubs Colchester at the weekend (losing 4-2 at home), so they will be desperate to bounce back."

That will provide an early test for the Iron's home form which was so fragile last year that it yielded just five wins.

"That sort of form was nowhere near good enough," Reid confessed.

"I know it is a cliche, but we have got to make this place is a fortress and make sure teams coming here know they are going to be given a right good game."