Gainsborough Trinity 1-1 Scunthorpe United
Report from the Northolme Stadium

The Iron drew 1-1 in their pre-season friendly with Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday night.

Grant McCann scored a penalty in the opening minutes and then missed another soon after.

Paul Hayes had been felled in the penalty area by Mark Greaves first, then Wes Parker took down Martyn Woolford.

There could have been more goals too, but the hosts levelled soon after the break through Ash Burberry against a different second-half team.

Trinity then hit the crossbar shortly after through Burberry again as they seeked to beat United.

Joe Murphy started the game in goal, with Cliff Byrne, Jake Picton, Rob Jones and Ian Morris forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Matt Sparrow, Michael O'Connor, McCann and Woolford, while Ben May played in attack alongside Hayes.

Kicking off in torrential rain, Hayes could have scored after three minutes in after being played through by May, but the Trinity goalkeeper showed fast reactions to beat the forward to the ball.

Moments later, Hayes repaid the favour as he crossed for May from the left, before the big striker headed just over the crossbar.

McCann soon fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way after Hayes was brought down.

It was an opening half in which there were few real goalscoring opportunities, and the next chance came Scunthorpe's way on the 27-minute mark, as Woolford was brought down and McCann fired the penalty low and wide of goal.

Murphy was called into action a couple of times, while Hayes could have notched one himself when he burst past his man down the left flank. His effort took a deflection though and the goalkeeper gladly collected it.

Hayes then craftilly beat two men before stricking just wide of goal seconds later as United continued to look to add to their lead.

The team for the second half was Sam Slocombe in goal, with Picton, Niall Canavan, Andy Crosby and Rory Coleman lining up along the back.

In midfield were Kevan Hurst, Sam Togwell, Josh Wright and Peter Winn, while Adam Boyes played up front alongside Garry Thompson.

Scunthorpe could have doubled their advantage on 49 minutes when Thompson was played through, rounded the goalkeeper and sent in an angled effort which was cleared off the goal-line. Boyes and Hurst both followed it up, but they couldn't convert.

The hosts had chances though, and Burberry soon levelled with a well crafted effort as he rolled the ball past Slocombe.

They had more opportunities after the goal, and Burberry almost added a second but his shot clipped the bar.

The front three of Winn, Thompson and Boyes were lively for United but they couldn't find that winning goal as the game ended tied.

Playing at right-back for Trinity was former Iron defender Joe Wilcox, who is on trial with the club.

Scunthorpe are next in pre-season action on Thursday night when they visit Lincoln City for the final of the Lincolnshire Senior Cup.