With the National League North promotion race coming down to the wire the Iron were back in league action this evening when they made their shortest trip of the season to face mid-table Alfreton Town.
Scunthorpe went into the fixture having lost just one of their previous nineteen fixtures and were hoping to keep this run going against Billy Heath’s Red’s.
Following a 1-0 victory over Leamington at the weekend, first-team manager Andy Butler would rotate his side with two changes to his starting XI. These alterations would come in the form of the returning of Oli Rose first of all who slotted back into his familiar right-back position, this change meant that fellow full-back Joe Starbuck dropping back to the bench. Furthermore, there was to be another change to the United forward line as striker Chris Wreh, who was subbed off at half-time against Leamington, was made to miss out through injury and was replaced by the inform Irishman Carlton Ubaezuonu.
After a change of ends prior to kick-off and some brief pauses to remove some stray pieces of training equipment from the corners, the game was finally set underway by the hosts who attempted to shock the Iron with a number of early crosses into the area that was eventually dealt with by the alert United defence.
After some nervy early exchanges in which both sides struggled to control the ball, a chance would finally be crafted by the Reds. After dispossessing a Scunthorpe player deep in their own half it would take just one solitary pass through the middle to calf open the Scunthorpe defence. This long ball allowed target man striker Jake Day to run in behind and go one on one with Ross Fitzsimons. The shot stopper rushed from his goal mouth to meet the striker and did fantastically well to spread himself out and save the shot from close range.
As expected, Alfreton were doing everything in their power to slow down the game and neutralise the Iron’s threats. Because of this Scunthorpe needed to make the most of the chances they were going to get and nearly did so through a Mark Beck header after 23 minutes. It was some lovely build-up play from United that opened space for a Kian Scales cross, the ball from Scales was ferocious and direct but found Beck in the box who managed to direct an effort down but into the welcoming grasp of goalkeeper David Robson.
The next chance in the game would come for the Reds and it was to be the best chance of the game to that point. Another long hoof forward was to be cushioned down by Day on the edge of the area and land back at the forwards feet with space and time to pull the trigger. The former Bridlington Town striker did well to get over the ball and drive his shot at Fitzsimons who was forced into a spectacular diving save to his right that denied an almost certain goal.
Following this opportunity to take the lead the deadlock would be broken almost immediately after by the Iron. After some patient play to build the chance the ball would make its way to the returning Rose 25 yards from goal. After raising his head an opting to try and pick out a Scunthorpe man in the box, he would drive a low bouncing ball into the area that evaded all attempts to clear and found the lurking run of Ubaezuonu at the back post, with just the keeper to beat he managed to steer the ball into the top corner for the games much-needed opener.
This was to be the last notable action of a tricky first half for United and a spirited performance was required in the second period if they were to push on for the points.
From the restart the Iron went in immediate search of another goal to further extend their advantage and were provided with the perfect chance to do so from an early free-kick mere yards outside of the penalty area. After Beck’s hard work to win the set-piece, Roberts would stand over the ball with one thought on his mind and looked to execute it with a cunning strike to test Robson. The eventual effort was sent spiralling towards the wall and took a slight deflection to wrongfoot the keeper that send it marginally wide of the target to the Reds' relief.
Both sets of fans were made to wait for the games next action as the encounter descended into a scrappy brawl of cynical fouls and reckless challenges that resulted in multiple cards for both sides.
When the next chance would finally arise it would be the clinical Iron who struck again at a crucial stage in the game. It was Ubaezuonu who picked up the ball on the left flank and chopped inside past former Scunthorpe full-back Luke Matheson, once he’d weaved his way into the box the Irishman hooked the ball back to the edge of the area where Kian Scales was waiting to advance into the box and brilliantly place the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
With time running out for the hosts to find a route back into the tie they would almost establish a foothold with a moment of individual brilliance from the Bolton Wanderers loanee Matheson. After a bouncing ball landed at the right-back’s feet he needed no further invitation to smash a brilliant effort at goal that left Fitzsimons planted to the spot, however fortunately for the Iron the ball would cannon back off the underside of the bar before being swept behind by Day from a matter of yards.
After almost 10 more minutes of grafting and scrapping from the full 16-man Scunthorpe squad the game would be brought to its end by referee Joe Moss who signalled three more points towards the eventual target for Butler’s boys. It was by no means pretty, but it was never going to be at the Impact Arena and the result proved the character and desire among this Scunthorpe team as it helped propel them back to the summit of the National League North table.
IRON:Fitzsimons, Kouogun (Boyce, 42), Evans, Clunan, Roberts (Fadera, 78), Rowley (Williams, 87), Ubaezuonu (Starbuck, 84), Beck, Scales, Denton (Kelly, 75), Rose.
