McCall believes Scunthorpe’s season is up and running after first win in charge

Posted Sunday, September 16, 2018 by PA

Scunthorpe boss Stuart McCall believes their season is finally up and running after a 3-2 win at AFC Wimbledon.

McCall celebrated his first win as Scunthorpe boss thanks to a brace from Josh Morris and Ike Ugbo’s first goal for the club since signing on loan from Chelsea.

McCall, who took over as manager last month, was still disappointed to concede two goals in the second half, particularly as his side surrendered two-goal leads against Rochdale last weekend.

“We have been on at them (the players) to get the season up and running,” McCall said.

“Since I’ve come in we have had three draws and the level of performance has got to improve.

“The more you can get on the training ground the better. We hope they are going to be.

“It’s naturally disappointing to lose two goals again, we have got to look after that side of it.

“We don’t want to come away from home and hang on. We have got things we have got to improve on, we can’t keep giving free headers in the middle of the goal.

“There are things to work on but again, for the second week in a row, we have got three goals and that’s what we like to be about.”

Morris opened the scoring after eight minutes when his free-kick from the right looped over home goalkeeper Tom King.

The wide-man doubled Scunthorpe’s lead just after the half-hour mark as raced through to slot home Matthew Lund’s through ball.

Dons were rejuvenated in the second half and pulled one back through midfielder Liam Trotter just five minutes after the break as he nodded in a Tennai Watson cross.

But the home side were pegged back two minutes later as Ryan Colclough skinned Dons full-back Ben Purrington before crossing for striker Ike Ugbo to score.

Purrington amended his mistake at the other end as he beat Colclough to set up Kwesi Appiah to head home after 55 minutes, but the Iron held on.

Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley was angered by the level of performance from his players after the defeat.

“I can’t hide from it, I’m disappointed, angry and frustrated. The staff prepped these boys for the game and they prepped them for the goals we conceded,” Ardley said.

“We made sure we were aware of the threat from set-pieces, what he (Morris) likes to do when he takes in-swinging free-kicks. “e took no notice and conceded the first.

“We took no notice on the counter-attack when we conceded the second, despite that being the last thing I said when I went out.

“Then when you get yourself back the game the last thing you do is be sloppy in your half and concede a third, because had we not done that and got back to 2-2, you probably go on and win the game.

“We have conceded three awful goals and the people responsible for that will take the responsibility.”