Pressure starting to grow on Wilcox
SCUNTHORPE manager Russ Wilcox concedes he does not know if he will be given time to change the club’s fortunes after their defeat to Oldham.
Ex-Scunthorpe man Jonathan Forte cancelled out Andrew Boyce’s opener before Rory Fallon gave the Iron a half-time lead, but a Daniel Philliskirk double handed the Latics victory.
And Iron boss Wilcox believes the second-half performance was his side’s downfall as Scunthorpe slipped to their fourth league loss in five games.
“I’m bitterly disappointed. I think we also have to look at the bigger picture – it’s a tough period,” said Wilcox.“All we seem to be doing at the moment is firefighting.
“Three players made their debuts, five changes to the starting line-up, long-term injuries – it’s very, very difficult.
“We’ve got to try and stick together, stay strong and move forward to the Doncaster game.
“With time, I think that’s what I need – whether I get that I don’t know but I’m hoping I can because I have full belief in myself and my staff. It’s going to take time.
“We spoke about the second-half and managing the 45-minute period but we’ve got to manage it better than that.”
The Iron took a 26th minute lead when Gary McSheffrey’s left-wing corner was headed home by Boyce but Forte equalised three minutes later by completing a slick Oldham attack to finish calmly past Bobby Olejnik for his sixth strike this season.
Scunthorpe regained the advantage when Paddy Madden combined with Fallon in the box from a 34th minute right-wing cross, the latter turning his man and firing home.
After the break, Mike Jones unleashed a fierce long-distance 52nd minute drive that Olejnik parried wide with a diving save.
Oldham got their rewards when Brian Wilson’s 66th minute cross was met by substitute Philliskirk who fired home from close-range.
And the Latics sealed the win when Liam Kelly’s 83rd minute free-kick was headed home by Philliskirk.
Latics boss Lee Johnson said:“I thought it was good character in the end because I thought we were dominant again throughout.
“They set up really just to stifle and kill right from the start which was a bit disappointing.
“I thought our boys stayed patient at times when we could have started lumping things in the box, we didn’t and got two great goals in the secondhalf.
“I’m delighted for Danny because he’s got that little hoodoo out of the way and he can kick on.
“Danny was unlucky not to start as in training this week, he was razor sharp.
“We’ve got to get him in goalscoring areas more.”