Liam Feeney scored his third goal of pre-season for the Iron as they ended up losing 4-1 to Rochdale at Glanford Park in their latest pre-season friendly.
The Iron came into the game having made three changes from Saturday's game against Sheffield United. Cameron Wilson, Harvey Cribb and Jai Rowe all came into the side and former Iron loan player Tyrese Sinclair returned to Glanford Park as he started on the bench for the Dale.
The visitors were the ones to get the game underway and the first chance of the game went to them. A good exchange in the middle of the park and then a nice through ball to the left-hand flank saw Rochdale create a bit of space for themselves. A cross came into the Iron’s penalty area but it was headed away well by Cribb.
It was a frantic start to the game in very humid conditions at Glanford Park; Minutes later, Scunthorpe’s almost had their first opportunity of the game when a Rochdale defender sent a loose pass back to Richard O’Donnell in the away side’s goal. Alfie Beestin was millimetres away from latching onto the loose ball and being through on goal but the danger was cleared quickly.
The away side threatened again and a neat outside of the boot through ball was played over the head of Rowe and a one-on-one chance opened up for the visitors. A clear opportunity was presented to Devante Rodney, who managed to strike the ball hard and low and it made its way into the bottom-left-hand corner of Marcus Dewhurst’s goal. However, seconds later the assistant’s flag was put up in the air and the goal was ruled out.
The Iron were getting all their joy down the left-hand-flank and Mason O’Malley was the one creating all the chances. Another whipped cross into the visitors' penalty area nearly met the head of midfielder Colin Daniel but a strong defensive header denied the Iron a potential goalscoring opportunity.
Dale found themselves with another chance shortly after this. A driving run right at the heart of the Scunthorpe defence was not dealt with and space was given to the Rochdale player who unleased a powerful right-footed shot which breezed past the right-hand post much to Dewhurst’s relief.
Wilson found himself with the best chance of the game just after the half way point of the first half, but home goalkeeper O'Donnell just managed to stop him in time.
The momentum of this first half was in the favour of the home side and a Dan Gallimore cross created another good opportunity for the Iron to put themselves ahead. The ball was almost dropped onto the head of Daniel who was six-yards out from goal but the ball was claimed well by O’Donnell.
Newly announced signing Jacob Butterfield was the next Iron player to try their luck at goal. A well hit strike from around 25-yards-out caught the goalkeeper out but the shot was off target and narrowly sailed passed the left-hand post.
Another big chance fell the way of the Iron minutes later. A low cross into the box by full-back Gallimore was controlled cleverly by Beestin. A superb first touch took him around the defend and allowed him the space for an attempt on goal. His shot narrowly missed the target and went over the bar.
The Iron continued to dominate the first half and Daniel had a freekick on the edge of the Rochdale penalty area. The shot was taken on and a low strike which went below the wall (as they made the decision to jump) missed the target by inches.
The Iron winger had another chance when he combined with Wilson. A shot with his favoured left foot seemed to be heading into the bottom-right corner but once again it went wide of the target.
United were the ones to get the second half underway and former Scunthorpe player Sinclair, who had come on at the break, found himself with time and space in the penalty area. He took the shot on but Dewhurst was down quickly to his right to make a smart save.
The visitors were the ones to get the first goal of the game. With a free-kick, Liam Kelly placed the ball down at around 25-yards-out from goal and produced a picture perfect set-piece as it curled into the left-hand side of the goal. Dewhurst got his finger tip to the ball but the power is what beat him.
Minutes after the goal, Butterfield found himself on an Iron free-kick just outside the box. He wrapped his left foot around the ball and he saw his effort narrowly go behind.
The visitors took a two-goal lead through a goal from Sinclair. The winger was played in by a lofted throughball and Dewhurst came rushing out his net to try and deal with the situation, but the ball broke free and Sinclair grasped the opportunity and slotted the ball into the net.
Scunthorpe halved the deficit after some good play on the right-hand flank saw substitute Joe Nuttall break free into the away side's penalty area and he spotted Liam Feeney rushing in at the far post and Nuttall played a simple ball to him. All Feeney had to do was place the ball into the empty net as the keeper was in no man's land.
Dale restored their two-goal lead once again and it was the former Iron winger Sinclair who grabbed his second of the game. A low cross made its way into the Scunthorpe area and Sinclair struck the ball low and hard into the net.
Dewhurst made another strong save with his legs to deny the visitors a fourth goal. Abraham Odoh found himself in a one-on-one situation and he unleashed a powerful shot which required Dewhurst to get down quickly and make the save.
Rochdale grabbed their fourth of the night after Odoh unleashed a low shot from a tight angle. The shot was taken on from the right corner of the six-yard box and the ball was directed into the bottom-left corner. Dewhurst had no time to react as the shot was taken from such a close distance.
That concluded another pre-season test for the Iron and next they face Peterborough United at Glanford Park on Saturday.
IRON: Dewhurst, O’Malley (Feeney, 52’), Whitehouse(Moore-Billam, 73’), Beestin (Boyce, 78’), Rowe, Taft, Cribb (Sellars-Fleming, 52’), Butterfield (Shrimpton, 73’), Wilson (Nuttall, 52’), Daniel (Lewis, 66’), Gallimore.
IRON SUBS NOT USED: Foster.
ROCHDALE: O’Donnell, Graham, Ebanks-Landell (Taylor, 70’), John (McNulty, 70’), Diagouraga (Sinclair, 46’), Keohane (White, 70’), Seriki (Odoh, 75’), L.Kelly (Brierley, 70’), Ball (O. Kelly, 83’), Rodney (Charman, 70’), Henderson (Trialist A, 46’).
ROCHDALE SUBS NOT USED: B.Kelly, Watts, Craven.
ATTENDANCE: 841.