United reserves completed an impressive turnaround to beat Mansfield Town 5-3 in an eight goal thriller.
A slow start saw the Iron go 3-0 down before going in at the break with a consolation goal. A second half comeback saw great resilience shown from the reserves, who were outplayed by the Stags for the majority of the first half.A lively second half saw United dominate proceedings with a hat-trick from Hakeeb Adelakun and one goal from the returning Matt Godden, who made an impact, and Curtis Bateson.
Iron reserve team manager Andy Dawson made one change from last week’s 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool.
Bateson came into the side, replacing Connor Smythe, who dropped to the bench. Long term casualty Godden made his return to action, playing 22 minutes from the bench.
First half goals from Stags players Keiran Murtagh, Ross Dyer and Lee Stevenson left the young Iron team with an uphill challenge.
As well as a hat-trick from Adelakun, he set the penalty up for the Iron in a game with which saw him grow in confidence.
On five minutes, George Grayson cleared a cross into the box for corner and the resulting set-piece fell to Murtagh, who chested the ball well before rasping a volley against the underside of the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Luke Waterfall found Kyle Wootton with a long ball, which was laid off to Jamie Wootton, who struck from 20 yards and hit the left post. The rebound was followed up by Adelakun, but he couldn’t get over the ball and it went wide of the target.
Mansfield winger Louis Briscoe turned well and got between defenders Hare and Waterfall, finding space to run deep into the box to finish from a tight angle. James Severn didn’t get a strong enough hand on it and it made it 2-0 on ten minutes.
Mansfield held the ball well with quick passes and good touches, closing down quickly and stopping the Iron getting out of their half.
On the quarter of an hour mark, Dyer headed down a cross to the edge of the box and Stephenson fired a near-unstoppable effort past Severn’s right to give Town a 3-0 lead.
Dyer stayed involved, having an effort himself this time as he skipped past the Iron midfield and shrugged off his defender to create space and shoot from range. His attempt was tipped over well from keeper Severn.
The Iron looked to get back into the game, creating a chance down the right when Hare floated a good ball down line, which was well controlled by J. Wootton, who crossed an early ball sooner than his strike partner could get into the box and attack it.
The Iron kept on the pressure around the half hour mark and a corner to the front of the six yard box saw J. Wootton redirect it to the front post. The Mansfield man on the post reacted well to get a touch to stop it going over the line.
The claret and blue attack kept coming and Curtis Bateson switched the ball to the left, which Adelakun took into the box before feinting and going outside his man, firing it past Ian Deakin’s near post to give the Iron hope for the second half.
The second period started scrappily, as both teams attacked, failing to keep possession.
Meanwhile, Adelakun continued to look dangerous, making a running into the box to earn the Iron reserves a corner, which Luke Waterfall headed over.
United continued to pressure and Jamie Wootton was fouled on the edge of the box, after good feet, but Bateson fired his effort over.
Mansfield tried to increase their lead to four as Stevenson was found through on goal, but Severn came out quick to deny the reserves’ captain.
Stags’ forward Jake Speight dinked the ball over Severn and Waterfall made a fantastic touch on the line to prevent the lead increasing.
End-to-end action ensued as Adelakun went down to the other end and his distance shot was denied by Deakin with a tremendous diving save.
Godden was involved almost immediately as he touched it inside, gave the ball to Adelakun, who doubled his tally with a 25-yard thunderbolt to give the Iron hope at 3-2.
Minutes later Godden played a one-two with Adelakun and he was fouled in the box to earn a penalty for the Iron. The first-team absentee duly took the spot-kick to draw the Iron level, giving them the ascendancy with nearly 15 minutes to go.
On the 83rd minute Adelakun scored from 18 yards with a fine strike to cap off an impressive performance, both as a team and on a personal level. Curtis Bateson sealed the victory in the 90th minute with a fine strike to make it 5-3 and confirm the Iron a hard-fought three points in the reserve league.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Severn, Hare, Grayson, Hornsey, Howe (c), Waterfall, Bateson, Sutton, J Wootton (Godden 68’), K Wootton, Adelakun.
Substitutes not used: Smythe, Hawley, Beresford, Cowling.
Mansfield Town: Deakin, Marsden, McCombe, Birch, Black, Briscoe, Stevenson, Murtagh, Meikle, Dyer, Speight.
Substitutes not used: Poku, Thomas, Lamb, Fell, Simo Hemagou, Wisdom.