REPORT: Iron 4-0 Stoke City U21's

Following a disappointing result and performance that saw the Iron fall to their first defeat of the league season at the hands of Southend United, Scunthorpe would look for an immediate bounce-back result when they faced Stoke City U21’s this evening in what was the opening group game of the 2026-27 National League Cup.

With regards to the team news for the evening, there was a medley of changes for the Iron as Andy Butler opted to make nine alterations from the weekend. Firstly, Maison Campbell came in between the sticks for Scunthorpe with a back four constructed of Joe Starbuck, Branden Horton, Jean Belehouan and Ross Barrows protecting him. Elsewhere, Joe Rowley returned to the midfield engine room, alongside Oli Rose and player-coach Jacob Butterfield. Finally, the Iron front three saw a home debut for loanee forward Hugh Parker, who was supported from the flanks by Kyle Hurst and Captain for the fixture Alfie Beestin.

When proceedings were set underway at the Attis Arena, it would take less than two minutes for the first chance when some clever interplay in the final third sent Jack Newall through on the Scunthorpe goal for the visitors, chopping inside his marker before lashing the ball towards the bottom corner, forcing a strong save out of Campbell to keep the ball out from what had been a promising opportunity.

As the two outfits jousted for an advantage over one another, the Iron would respond with a chance of their own on 13 minutes when some determined forward play from Ross Barrows down the right-flank saw him slide the ball back to the edge of the area for Beestin to run onto, stinging the ball towards the target on the turn, although the effort would be stopped on its way to goal by the well positioned Anas Iddrisa.

In the encounter’s next action, Campbell would be called into action again, producing the same outcome as the first shot he had faced when he got down low to deny a thunderous effort from Adriel Walker, diving on the loose ball that followed to limit any further opportunities for the Potters attack.

As the game surpassed the half hour mark, it was Scunthorpe who were taking charge of possession; however, the visitors were still having the better of the chances, especially when a threaded through ball found the run of Paul Makavore in the penalty area, granting the forward the time to try and place an effort into the far corner that was poorly executed as it whistled just wide of the mark.

United’s best chance to take the lead to date would come on 40 minutes when Butterfield collected possession on the left of the penalty area, working the ball between himself and a fellow Claret shirt before whipping an instinctive cross to the far post for the climbing Rose to attack, although he would fail to establish enough contact on the header as he sent it spiralling over the crossbar.

In the first half’s last action, the Iron would go on to make the breakthrough at the perfect moment when Kyle Hurst was released down the right flank, looking to swing a ball to the far post that was deflected into the air by the recovering defender, allowing for Hugh Parker to latch onto the ball, diverting a headed effort over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net for the opener.

Following the restart of play for the second period, Scunthorpe would look to pick up from where they left off in the first half by creating a number of early chances that would prove to no avail.

As the visitors battled to draw level, they would create a golden chance to do so, but Campbell continued to protect his clean sheet between the sticks. After parting the Iron defence with a lovely through ball, Newall would again have the chance to beat the United goalkeeper, opting for a low driven finish into the bottom corner that was superbly denied by Campbell, sprawling down to his left to push it clear.

With half an hour remaining at the Attis Arena, United would come the closest yet to doubling their lead when some persistent battling to keep possession on the edge of the area saw the ball fall kindly for Butterfield at distance, striding onto the loose ball before firing a ferocious effort towards to top corner that clipped the wrong side of the crossbar, inches away from the second goal of the night.

Following five Scunthorpe changes to attempt to spread the minutes across Andy Butler’s side, it wouldn’t be long until the lead was extended as two of the alternates combined. After weaving his way into a crossing area, James Gale would go on to produce a sensational low cross to the back post, seeking out the run of youthful wing-back Harry Shipstone who charged onto the ball to drive it home from close range, marking his first competitive goal in Claret and Blue.

From this moment on it was purely the Iron in control and Gale would seek to get in the act in a scoring capacity. Mere moments after seeing a goal chalked off for a tight offside call, Gale wouldn’t be disheartened, dispossessing the Potters from the following free-kick before driving into the area and producing an emphatic lofted finish into the top corner for his first goal of the night.

With proceedings into the last ten minutes of action, United were showing no signs of slowing down and looked hungry to find a third goal, especially when central defender Jean Belehoaun picked up the ball on the half-way line, advancing though the Stoke thirds before deciding to try and whip the ball beyond the Stoke goalkeeper Caleb Clothier from the edge of the area, drawing an impressive save from the young shot stopper who caught the effort well.

With the encounter in its final exchanges, there would be time for one more goal as Gale marked an impressive substitute display by doubling his account. After being threaded an exquisite defence-splitting pass to set him up inside the box, Gale would find himself with enough space and time to put his laces through the ball, driving it into the bottom corner for 4-0.

With this, the Iron would earn their first three points of their National League Cup campaign, marking their opening fixture with a resounding victory and performance that is sure to breathe much-needed confidence into Butler’s boys ahead of their upcoming league fixture against Eastleigh.

IRON: Campbell, Rose (Ogle, 63), Horton (Shipstone, 63), Belehouan, Beestin (Brennan, 63), Rowley, Parker (Gale, 63), Hurst, Starbuck, Butterfield (Richards, 63), Barrows

IRON SUBS: L. Jones, D. Howe