Scunthorpe 'fearful' of playing at Sunderland but should have had penalty, claims boss

Scunthorpe United manager Nick Daws admits he's questioned his players about whether they were frightened about playing at the Stadium of Light.
A crowd of 29.876 watched the gameA crowd of 29.876 watched the game
A crowd of 29.876 watched the game

The visitors produced a meek performance in front of almost 30,000 fans on Wearside, going in 3-0 down at half-time of the game.

Scunthorpe improved after the break but the game was long gone by then.

A crowd of 29.876 watched the gameA crowd of 29.876 watched the game
A crowd of 29.876 watched the game
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daws said: “We shouldn’t have players who are frightened about coming to the Stadium of Light. We have posed that question to them.

"Our overall approach to the game should have been less fearful and more aggressive.

"If you are going to come here and sit on back foot for majority of the game, teams like Sunderland have got the players to hurt you.

"The teams with the most belief and personality are more likely to be near the top of the league and that's what Sunderland did today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"In terms of their performance it stacks up with the best performances at this level but I think if we were better in the first half it would have been a different result."

Daws did, however, feel his side deserved a penalty in the first 10 minutes when Jack Baldwin tangled with Gedorge Thomas.

Referee Anthony Backhouse waved away his players' appeals, and Daws questioned whether the official was also swayed by the vocal home support.

He added: "We should have had a penalty. If we had gone 1-0 up and quietened the crowd down and grew into the game then who knows what would have happened.

"Perhaps it’s an indication of what 35,000 can do to even the best of officials."