IRON YOUTHS RAMPANT
Posted on: Sat 22 Aug 2009
Striker Marcus Gibbs hit a hat-trick as Scunthorpe United's youth team beat Rotherham United 4-1 at Birch Park on Saturday morning.
The Iron started the game as they meant to go on and could have gone ahead in minutes. A giant clearance forward from first year goalkeeper Jake Turner caught out the Millers' back four and striker Aron Wint, frustratingly, could only shoot at the keepers legs when clean through on goal.
Gibbs was starting to cause problems for the Millers with his willingness to work hard and get on the end of forward passes and he went close on 31 minutes forcing a corner that was cleared.
Nevertheless, the Millers were having the better of it in midfield during a goal-less first half and fashioned one or two chances.
It was a totally different story second half though as United swept aside the opposition with a powerful performance that saw them run out clear winners in the end.
Striker Aron Wint was through again in the opening minute of the second half but once again he needed too long before shooting, instead squaring to Gibbs who scored but was given offside by the official.
On 48 minutes, they took the lead as an excellent ball forward from Johnathan Williams found Gibbs who broke clear to lob the Millers keeper in fine style to put United in front.
The Millers came back and twice threatened to equalise before they did on 60 minutes. Jack Cross and Sam Comer allowed a cross to come in to the Iron box from the United left and the Millers striker notched a free header at the far post to level the scores.
Scunthorpe were stung in to action and responded in fine fashion by scoring directly from the restart. Another excellent ball forward from full back Williams found striker Gibbs who instantly chipped the Rotherham keeper from fully 25 yards to restore United's lead.
Winger Jack Cross almost stretched the Iron's lead on 63 minutes when he got the opposite side of his full back to fire his shot beyond the Millers keeper only to see it unfortunately rebound in to play off the far post.
Gibbs was at it again on 65 minutes, causing all sorts of problems for the Millers defence with his pace and willingness to run and work hard. Gibbs received the ball on the edge of the box before turning but his shot flew over the Millers bar.
United were turning the screw and really putting Rotherham under pressure, and it was captain Joe Maguire who climbed the highest on 66 minutes to meet a corner from Jack Cross but his effort drifted wide of the away team's goal.
On 67 minutes, Iron keeper Turner cleared well and Gibbs latched on to the flick from Wint fully 30 yards out before swivelling to shoot confidently past the opposition keeper to record his third goal of the game and his first ever hat-trick for United.
At this stage Scunthorpe's youngster's were looking very powerful, dominant and well on top and they forced home a fourth goal on 76 minutes. An excellent training ground routine saw central defender Richard Dean head home from a corner to record an emphatic 4-1 win.
Iron youth development coach Tony Daws said: "I wasn't very happy at half time because i thought that in the first half we didn't work hard enough all over the pitch to close down the opposition.
"We allowed them far too much time and space to play and this is something that the boys have to address both as individuals and as a team. In a nice way, you could say that we 'discussed' this at half time.
"I was absolutely delighted with all of the boys' response in the second half because i thought that our work rate and quality was of a standard that is required.
"A special mention must go to Marcus Gibbs who was outstanding and he deserved his three goals because he never stopped working for 90 minutes."
Read a full, in-depth report from Tony Daws in next weekend's Queens Park Rangers edition of our award-winning matchday magazine THE IRON.
The Iron started the game as they meant to go on and could have gone ahead in minutes. A giant clearance forward from first year goalkeeper Jake Turner caught out the Millers' back four and striker Aron Wint, frustratingly, could only shoot at the keepers legs when clean through on goal.
Gibbs was starting to cause problems for the Millers with his willingness to work hard and get on the end of forward passes and he went close on 31 minutes forcing a corner that was cleared.
Nevertheless, the Millers were having the better of it in midfield during a goal-less first half and fashioned one or two chances.
It was a totally different story second half though as United swept aside the opposition with a powerful performance that saw them run out clear winners in the end.
Striker Aron Wint was through again in the opening minute of the second half but once again he needed too long before shooting, instead squaring to Gibbs who scored but was given offside by the official.
On 48 minutes, they took the lead as an excellent ball forward from Johnathan Williams found Gibbs who broke clear to lob the Millers keeper in fine style to put United in front.
The Millers came back and twice threatened to equalise before they did on 60 minutes. Jack Cross and Sam Comer allowed a cross to come in to the Iron box from the United left and the Millers striker notched a free header at the far post to level the scores.
Scunthorpe were stung in to action and responded in fine fashion by scoring directly from the restart. Another excellent ball forward from full back Williams found striker Gibbs who instantly chipped the Rotherham keeper from fully 25 yards to restore United's lead.
Winger Jack Cross almost stretched the Iron's lead on 63 minutes when he got the opposite side of his full back to fire his shot beyond the Millers keeper only to see it unfortunately rebound in to play off the far post.
Gibbs was at it again on 65 minutes, causing all sorts of problems for the Millers defence with his pace and willingness to run and work hard. Gibbs received the ball on the edge of the box before turning but his shot flew over the Millers bar.
United were turning the screw and really putting Rotherham under pressure, and it was captain Joe Maguire who climbed the highest on 66 minutes to meet a corner from Jack Cross but his effort drifted wide of the away team's goal.
On 67 minutes, Iron keeper Turner cleared well and Gibbs latched on to the flick from Wint fully 30 yards out before swivelling to shoot confidently past the opposition keeper to record his third goal of the game and his first ever hat-trick for United.
At this stage Scunthorpe's youngster's were looking very powerful, dominant and well on top and they forced home a fourth goal on 76 minutes. An excellent training ground routine saw central defender Richard Dean head home from a corner to record an emphatic 4-1 win.
Iron youth development coach Tony Daws said: "I wasn't very happy at half time because i thought that in the first half we didn't work hard enough all over the pitch to close down the opposition.
"We allowed them far too much time and space to play and this is something that the boys have to address both as individuals and as a team. In a nice way, you could say that we 'discussed' this at half time.
"I was absolutely delighted with all of the boys' response in the second half because i thought that our work rate and quality was of a standard that is required.
"A special mention must go to Marcus Gibbs who was outstanding and he deserved his three goals because he never stopped working for 90 minutes."
Read a full, in-depth report from Tony Daws in next weekend's Queens Park Rangers edition of our award-winning matchday magazine THE IRON.
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