Scunthorpe United 2-2 Nottingham Forest
Report from Glanford Park

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The Iron drew 2-2 with promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest in their final game of the 2009-10 Championship season at Glanford Park.

Joe Garner gave the hosts the lead early in the first half, before George Boyd added a second just before half-time.

Niall Canavan levelled soon after the break, and they managed to find that elusive equaliser in the 87th minute when Thompson let fly with a rocket of a shot that flew into the top corner of the net.

The Iron entered the game making four changes from the team beaten 4-3 at Doncaster Rovers a week earlier.

Goalkeeper Joe Murphy sat out so Josh Lillis deputised between the sticks.

Canavan came in for Kenny Milne, while Jim McNulty started the game at left-back in place of Andrew Wright after recovering from an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Sam Togwell replaced Matt Sparrow in midfield for United.

Lillis was the goalkeeper, with captain Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Canavan and McNulty forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Thompson, Togwell, Grant McCann and Martyn Woolford, Paul Hayes partnered Gary Hooper up front.

The substitutes were Sam Slocombe, Andrew Wright, Sparrow, Jonathan Forte, Michael O'Connor, Josh Wright and Donal McDermott.

There was a nice breeze in the air at Glanford Park as the game approached kick-off, with the stadium all but full for the encounter with the third-placed Tricky Trees.

With Scunthorpe safe for the season now, their sole aim going into this match was to end the campaign on a high by seeing off one of the league's top sides.

The hosts had their first chance of the afternoon three minutes in when Mirfin hooked a volley into the arms of Paul Smith from the edge of the area after McCann's corner had been cleared out as far as the defender.

Woolford then weaved his way into space on the left and saw his low shot towards Smith's bottom right-hand corner tipped out for a corner.

Lillis was called into action for the first time ten minutes in when David McGoldrick worked his way into enough space in the area to send in a low shot which the 'stopper parried out and the ball was cleared to safety by Cliff Byrne.

There was then a superb attacking move by Scunthorpe as McCann flicked through Hooper, who found space in the area before poking an effort goalwards which Smith cleared to safety.

Forest went ahead on 16 minutes when Garner, receiving from Boyd, had all the time in the world to tee the ball up for himself and strike the ball beyond Lillis into his bottom right-hand corner.

The away team celebrate Joe Garner's opening goal.

Soon after, Togwell and Woolford combined with the former sending a cross in for the latter who volleyed over the crossbar.

Forets had a golden chance to make it two on 25 minutes when McGoldrick tricked his way past Canavan on the left-hand side of the area before advancing at goal and poking a low shot wide of goal.

Scunthorpe were having chances though, and Woolford did well on the edge of the area to get past a few challenges and then send in a low shot which Smith saved well.

Ten minutes before half-time the lively Woolford came close again, with his volley from Thompson's cross well saved by Smith.

Forest added a second on 41 minutes though when Boyd let fly after an excellent passing move. McGugan passed to McGoldrick, who played Boyd in on the left and his thunderous strike, despite being fingertipped by Lillis, flew into the back of the Scunthorpe net.

Josh Lillis fails to keep out George Boyd's stinging effort.

It could have been three just two minutes later as Joel Lynch's cross-cum-shot from the left flank cannoned back into play off the crossbar, and then McGoldrick fizzed the rebound wide.

It proved the last chance of the opening half as Scunthorpe went in two down at the break.

The Iron came close at the start of the second period as McCann's delivery into the area caused trouble and Hooper's effort was cleared off the line by Lynch.

Then Canavan came close as his volley was tipped wide.

Seconds later though he put his side ahead, striking in from close range after Hayes' drilled low cross-cum-shot following a goalmouth scramble found him six yards out. It was his second goal of the season.

Niall Canavan turns away after pulling a goal back for the Iron.

The second half saw both teams struggle to get going as attacking forces, with chances limited - but Thompson hooked a volley over the bar on 63 minutes as the home team seeked an equaliser.

The away team continued to threaten and Anderson's deflected shot went over the crossbar for a corner.

Scunthorpe came close to levelling on 76 minutes when Thompson's drive was diverted goalwards by the head of Hooper but it clipped back into play off the crossbar.

Shortly after, Byrne's bicycle kick drew a stop from Smith as he connected with McCann's free-kick delivery deep from the right.

Then, the Hayes and Hooper combination linked up well, with the latter curling wide of the post after being set up by his partner.

As the quest to level continued, Hayes then had a shot blocked before taking the rebound and seeing that tipped out by Smith for a corner.

In the 82nd minute Hayes was replaced by Sparrow, with the out of contract marksman turning around and clapping the home support.

And the equaliser finally came three minutes from time when Thompson let fly with a stunning effort from the edge of the area which cannoned into the net off the crossbar. It was his ninth goal of a productive season.

Garry Thompson thumps in the equaliser for Scunthorpe.

Forest's McGoldrick curled a free-kick just wide of goal in the closing stages, and Hooper was replaced by Forte in the first minute out of three in stoppage time - receiving a standing ovation for his efforts over the last two years.

The visitors were doing the late pushing, and a drive by McGoldrick flashed across the face of goal right at the end before referee Fred Graham blew for full-time.

The Iron's players went into the dressing room at full-time but re-emerged for a lap of honour right at the end as the players celebrated a momentous season which saw them clinch back to back seasons at Championship level for the first time in 46 years.

Iron Bar man of the match: Sam Togwell.

Sponsors' man of the match: David Mirfin.

Attendance: 8,119 (2,153 away).