MANAGER Russ Wilcox labelled Scunthorpe United's goalless draw with AFC Wimbledon a 'reality check' as a lack of creativity up front prevented them from picking up a fourth successive win.
Although extending their unbeaten run into double figures, this was the first time in Wilcox's 10-match period in charge of the club that they had failed to find the back of the net.
And while crediting the determined Dons for frustrating the Iron, the United boss expected better from his side in the final third.
'There are going to be twists and turns, ups and downs. We know that,' said Wilcox in his post-match press conference.
'Maybe today was a bit of a reality check for everybody. You can get a little bit carried away and we are on a great run.
'That has to come to an end at some stage, but it hasn't today - even if it feels like it has to some people. You can't just turn up and expect to win.
'First half I thought we looked flat. We wanted more intensity about our play and I thought we got that second half, but not the creativity - even though the crowd got right behind us. It was just that final bit.
'I've got the players on the bench now to change things around. It just didn't happen for us in the final third.
'We created a couple of half chances first half, but you have to give credit to Wimbledon.
'Teams are going to come here with a different game plan and play five at the back or one up top - that's the respect we've got now.
'We've got to be better in that final third. We've got to be more creative and have a little bit more movement up top to create opportunities.'
Decent openings for Scunthorpe were few and far between, though Sam Winnall did look a threat in the run up to half-time.
Three times he got in behind a dogged Dons defence and forced a save out of goalkeeper Ross Worner, but certainly a couple of those efforts lacked the sort of conviction the Iron's 13-goal leading scorer has shown so far this season.
'Sam is creating opportunities and I think as a striker, if you stop creating opportunities, or they don't come your way, that's the time to worry,' observed Wilcox.
'He's getting a lot of opportunities at the moment. In the last home game, against Rochdale, he stuck two fantastic chances away.
'He's not going to score every chance he gets, but he's creating opportunities and he will score goals - he's shown that already with 13 this season.
'It just didn't quite happen today. We needed that first goal. We've done that in every single game apart from the Portsmouth one (since Wilcox has been boss) and it shows how important it is.
'If we'd have got the first one today, Wimbledon would have had to have changed their tactics and game plan. At 0-0 they were very happy with a point, so they looked to play on a counter attack or catch us at a set play.
'If we could have opened them up and got the first goal and they had to come out, it could have been a Rochdale, where we went on to score two or three.'
Although clearly frustrated at a failure to pick up another three points, Wilcox was pleased with his side's defensive play, against a physically strong Wimbledon team that looked a big threat at set pieces.
The clean sheet was Scunthorpe's fourth in succession and 13th of the season. No side in League Two has kept more.
The Iron also remained two points clear at the top of the table, with the two other teams in the top three at the start of the day, Burton Albion and Chesterfield, also failing to win.
'I'm delighted again we kept a clean sheet. We stayed solid at the back and that's five now in the last 10 games - and we've still scored 21 goals,' concluded the United manager.
'There are a lot of positives. To only draw is a little bit disappointing, but then all of a sudden you come off the pitch and look at other results and we're still two points clear.
'That might prove to be a key point at the end of the season.'
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