Scunthorpe United 2-4 Manchester City
Report from Glanford Park

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The Iron exited the FA Cup despite a spirited display in their 4-2 defeat to Manchester City in the fourth round at Glanford Park on Sunday.

Martin Petrov rocketed City ahead but Paul Hayes volleyed in a superb equaliser at around the hour mark.

Nedum Onuoha notched just before the break and Sylvinho added a spectacular third soon after the interval.

Cliff Byrne pulled a goal back with around 20 minutes left and Scunthorpe fought hard for an equaliser.

However, Robinho finished United off with five minutes left as he clipped past Murphy with an expert finish.

Heading into the game, United boss Nigel Adkins made three changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Cardiff City at Glanford Park last week.

Joe Murphy came in for Josh Lillis, while Rob Jones returned from injury to replace foot injury victim Andrew Wright.

Grant McCann returned to the midfield to replace the suspended Michael O'Connor.

The defence consisted of captain Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Jones and Marcus Williams, while Garry Thompson, Sam Togwell, Grant McCann and Martyn Woolford formed the midfield. Paul Hayes and Gary Hooper led the home attack.

The substitutes for the Iron were Josh Lillis, Kenny Milne, Matt Sparrow, Jonathan Forte, Ben May, Josh Wright (back from injury) and Andy Crosby.

A number of fringe players were named in the Manchester City side, with big-name stars such as Craig Bellamy and Gareth Barry on the substitutes' bench.

In the first minute Gary Hooper was played through but Stuart Taylor was quick to latch on to the loose ball and sweep up the danger.

Three minutes in, City went ahead however when Petrov was played in by Robinho, who drifted past Thompson on the left flank and arrowed a rocket of a shot beyond Murphy and into the back of the net.

Nigel Adkins, who started watching the game from the directors box, soon came back down to the dugout straight after the goal to give instructions to his players.

It was a big early bodyblow for Scunthorpe, but they were starting to get more into the game as the opening period progressed.

Woolford had a crack at goal in the tenth minute, cutting inside Stephen Ireland on to his right foot before crashing an effort past Taylor, but also beyond his right-hand post.

The Iron were settling well into the game, and Marcus Williams, who kept charging forward, bombed into the area and won a corner.

From the subsequent set-piece, the ball was played to Hooper who curled the ball into the area for Cliff Byrne, whose header crashed back into play off the crossbar.

Then the ball was played into the box for Jones, who headed the ball across goal but it went narrowly wide as Hayes just failed to get a toe on the end of it.

As you'd expect from any Premier League outfit though, City were always a threat and Onuoha fired a shot over the bar after being played through by Martin Petrov.

Then, on the break, Ireland burst through and played in Robinho, whose drive was well saved by Murphy.

He was drawn into another terrific stop on 28 minutes when Petrov curled a shot in from the right flank which Murphy dived down well to save spectacularly.

The Iron's leveller arrived in the 29th minute though when Woolford clipped the ball back into the area and Hayes superbly latched onto it to sink the ball into the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season. Replays proved him to be offside but the striker was certainly taking it, thrusting his right foot through the volley and firing the cup tie into life.

Trying to get his side back ahead, Robinho dragged a low shot goalwards but Murphy easily saved.

The game flowed from end to end, and Hayes flicked a header back for Hooper to volley goalwards, but it flew over the crossbar.

Benjani, Sylvinho and Robinho linked up well on the edge of the area soon after but the latter of those players struck well wide of goal. He then produced another lame finish shortly after, with Murphy getting down well to save.

Scunthorpe's hunger for a result was evident though and they looked capable of scoring another goal.

But on the stroke of half-time, City went back ahead through Onuoha, who was superbly clipped through by Ibrahim and struck past the onrushing goalkeeper.

They could have added another in stoppage time but Ireland curled just wide of Murphy's left-hand post after being played through by Petrov.

Soon after the break, Sam Togwell struck a fierce shot just over the crossbar, with Taylor tipping the effort away from goal. It was a missed opportunity that summed up the Iron's luck on the night.

Soon after, Sylvinho seemingly killed the game off as he received the ball from 25 yards out and fizzed his shot past Murphy and into the top left-hand corner.

It looked like the killer blow, and Murphy made a super triple stop - firstly from Ibrahim's near post effort and then from Robinho's double rebound.

Byrne fired another effort just wide for Scunthorpe in the 65th minute as United tried to find a way back into it, but he did net his second goal of the season just three minutes later as Togwell launched a long throw into the area and Byrne slotted in from 12 yards, with a slight deflection taken from defender Dedryck Boyata.

As you'd expect, Scunthorpe pressed forward for the equaliser straight after and Woolford flicked just wide after McCann's cross.

The excellent Petrov tried to curl a shot past Murphy soon after, but the Irishman excellently tipped out the effort. From the subsequent corner by Petrov, Boyata headed narrowly wide.

There was a Scunthorpe change with ten minutes remaining as Kenny Milne replaced Jones to a huge applause from the fans for his second appearance of the season.

Soon after though, Robinho scored the decisive fourth goal in the 85th minute, clipping the ball past the onrushing Murphy after an excellent passing move.

There were two late substitutions as Josh Wright came on for McCann and Forte replaced Hayes.

It was effectively game over from that point, but United could be proud of a display full of desire and commitment.

They are next in action on Wednesday when they host Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

Attendance: 8,861 (2,205 away).