Hasty post match rant: Scunthorpe v Barnsley

Last updated : 13 January 2004 By Mad Tyke
Where to start? With the exception of Betsy (never gave up despite no service), no positives from the game tonight at all.

Our most experienced, defensive starting line-up possible was out battled by a poor third division side lacking Peter Beagrie.

Defence - Handyside (unfit, slow, poor passing), Monk (too slow, simply NOT a right back), Austin (poor tonight, offered Burns little support), Ireland (almost average and nearly scored with our best (only?) chance.

Midfield - Crooks (slow, rusty), Hayward (slow poor crosser, not a right winger), Burns (poor crosser, not a left winger), Kay (no Neil Redfearn, in fact not even a Brendan O'Connell tonight)

Strikers - starved of service but Rankin just went AWOL.

The manager - tactics and substitutions appalling - O'Callaghan up front for the last few minutes...NO..not even as a joke. How exactly were we going to score tonight? We had no width, no creativity and no left sided players!

Excuses? None, the referee was poor but didn't affect the scoreline which could easily have been worse.

What now: New blood is needed and soon, otherwise our play-off hopes will fade sooner rather than later.