A hat-trick from triallist Gary McSheffrey helped a strong Scunthorpe United reserve team come from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 at Glanford Park.
A goal from Rhys McCabe was cancelled out by Iwelumo before the former Coventry winger stole the show on Tuesday afternoon.The match started with few opportunities for either side, with the first real chance falling to Luke Waterfall.
McSheffrey put a good cross into the box and Waterfall beat his man to head it goal-bound - but it lacked power and was easily caught by Cameron Dawson in the Wednesday goal.
After a quarter of an hour Etienne Esajas put his team in danger as he misplaced a square ball. Waterfall slid and dispatched the ball before Jermaine Johnson could intercept it.
McCabe opened the scoring on 18 minutes after good, counter-attacking play by Wednesday.
The Iron’s defence was unlocked as the visitors capitalized on a gaping hole and he curled a shot past Severn from the corner of the 18 yard box, past a helpless James Severn.
Paul Hayes looked sharp at times in the first-half and he teed up Esajas on the edge of the box and he hit it hard and low but his effort was always going wide.
McSheffrey was brought down by Ayo Obileye in a central position, 25 yards out but Esajas failed to test the keeper with the resulting free-kick, which was high and wide.
Hayes nearly drew the home side level after half an hour as he hit a looping shot from distance and it nearly beat the visiting keeper.
Wednesday’s lead was nearly doubled as Adam Hinchliffe caught a cross well and struck the ball sweetly from the edge of box, on the volley with power, but he couldn’t get over it and it sailed into the empty Britcon Stand.
Owls’ player Johnson was through on goal on the stroke of half-time and, on the edge of the box, United captain Luke Waterfall fouled him.
In a professional fixture, Waterfall may have been dismissed and Johnson was lucky to be on the field too as he reacted angrily and had to be refrained by his team-mates and the referee for quite some time.
After the restart a poor clearance from the Wednesday goalkeeper was intercepted by McSheffrey on the left, who squared to Iwelumo and he coolly finished.
On 57 minutes, McSheffrey was brought down in the box after stealing the ball from Rafa Floro. He dispatched the resulting spot kick to complete a quick second-half turnaround by the Iron.
The lead was increased two minutes later as McSheffrey smashed the ball from distance with an unstoppable strike following good play by Hakeeb Adelakun as he stormed inside the field.
Lively sub Adelakun continued to look dangerous as he had an ambitious effort from 35 yards tipped past the post by the Wednesday shot stopper.
With 20 minutes remaining, Lambin missed a good chance to close the deficit as he fired over after finding space inside the United box.
And then Andy Welsh came on for his first appearance in four months, replacing Esajas after a long spell with a knee injury.
McSheffrey went in search of a hat-trick as he made a darting diagonal run into the box but he fired over from close range, albeit a tight angle.
It didn’t take McSheffrey much longer to get that hat-trick as 10 minutes from time as he drilled a low hard shot from the edge of the penalty box past a diving Dawson.
With seven minutes remaining, it looked as if Wednesday might have pulled one back with Floro’s shot but Waterfall was there to clear it off the line to confirm a 4-1 victory for the Iron reserves.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Severn, Hare, Dawson, Hornsey (Bateson 30’), Boyce, Waterfall (C), Esajas (Welsh 69’), Sparrow, Hayes (Adelakun 45’), Iwelumo, McSheffrey.
Substitutes not used: Hawley, Grayson.
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Floro, Mattock (Betra 60’), Obileye, McKenzie, Fenwick, McCabe, Hinchliffe, Savic (Dawes 75’), Johnson, Corry (Lambin 10’).
Substitutes not used: Wildsmith, Beatson.