Classic Match

United defeated Yeovil to strengthen their grip on League One's top spot on April 6, this time last year.

They needed just one strike, a Nathan Jones own goal towards the end of the first half, to see off their fellow promotion contenders.

It was a superb result for the division's top team, who extend their unbeaten league run to nineteen games and move seven points clear at the top of League One, and eleven clear of third place.

All three home ends of Glanford Park were packed full a the top of the table encounter against Russell Slade's Glovers, with United supporters eagerly anticipating the opportunity to move further clear at the top of League One.

The Iron kicked off shooting towards the Study United stand in the first half, and it was Jermaine Beckford who had the first effort of the game on six minutes when he received the ball 30 yards from goal, but his audacious attempt failed to trouble Yeovil 'stopper Steve Mildenhall. The striker came into the match in a rich vein of form and was looking to build on his record of seven goals in 12 matches since signing on loan from Leeds United in January.

The away team were looking more than a match for Scunthorpe though at the start though, pressing forward well and taking the game to the league leaders during the opening passages of play. The pacy Wayne Gray was a threat in attack for the Glovers, utilising his speed to good effect but it was midfield man Chris Cohen who had their first opportunity of the evening, forcing a smart save from Iron goalkeeper Joe Murphy with a drive from 20 yards.

It was a tight and tense game with both midfields battling for supremacy, and as the first half wore on the Iron were getting a real grip of things in the opposition half. The first real chance of the evening came United's way on 26 minutes when winger Kevan Hurst cleverly won possession on the left and delivered a superb cross into the box for Beckford, who fired over the crossbar on the volley from 12 yards.

It was him who came close again on 32 minutes, breaking into the box on the right-hand side and forcing a save from Mildenhall at his near post, with the 'stopper palming the ball out for a corner. Scunthorpe's next opportunity came three minutes later when top scorer Billy Sharp turned his man to fire a shot across goal from the left-hand side of the penalty area. The visiting goalkeeper did well though to tip the ball wide of the post with an outstretched left hand.

Nigel Adkins' side were doing all the pressing towards the end of the opening period and were rewarded for their endeavour on 39 minutes when they took the lead. The stadium erupted as Glovers' defender Nathan Jones headed into his own goal after another fine cross from the left by the effective Hurst. It was an important goal for the Iron, and they looked to build on their lead in the final five minutes of the opening period.

Cleveland Taylor's cross-cum-shot from the right was parried out by Mildenhall, while Beckford's header from 12 yards after a precise Neil MacKenzie cross drew fast reactions from the former Grimsby 'stopper. They had finished with a flourish but went in just one goal up at half-time despite deserving more.

Highly-rated Yeovil midfielder Cohen was the first player to come close in the second half, forcing a save from Joe Murphy with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area in the first minute of the second half. It was never really troubling the Irishman. Moments after that chance, the Iron had one of their own; with Sharp receiving the ball on the left and flashing the ball just wide of the 'keeper's left-hand post.

Then, on 54 minutes, another ex-Grimsby man in Jean-Paul Kalala clipped the top of the crossbar after being threaded through by Lee Morris. It had seemed to be more of a cross by the Congolese international however. Beckford, always a threat, fired just wide of Mildenhall's left-hand post from 25 yards on 59 minutes as Scunthorpe seeked to extend their lead.

United were presented with a great opportunity to go even further ahead on 60 minutes when Sharp was threaded through with the attention of just one defender. The hitman advanced on goal but Mildenhall blocked with his legs after a shot from 12 yards to deny the league's leading marksman from doubling the home side's advantage. Then, from the rebound, Beckford drilled over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after the ball had come back into the Glovers' area and was only partially cleared. Sharp had another chance just a minute later but his attempted lob from 35 yards just cleared Mildenhall's crossbar.

The Glovers' best opportunity of the evening arrived on 78 minutes when Gray headed just wide of Murphy's right-hand post after an excellent cross by Cohen. They were to rue that miss, as it was their last proper chance of the evening, and United held on for three more invaluable points.

On This Matchday

Previous results from April 5, the day on which Scunthorpe host Sheffield Wednesday this year.

Year Comp Opponents H/A Result
1952 D3N Accrington Stanley H W 3-1
1958 D3N Hartlepools United H W 2-0
1969 DIV4 Port Vale H L 0-1
1975 DIV4 Rotherham United A L 2-3
1980 DIV4 Port Vale H W 1-0
1997 LD3 Brighton & Hove Albion H W 1-0
1999 LD3 Southend United A W 1-0
2003 LD3 Bournemouth H L 0-2

Born On This Week

March 31 - Horace Cumner (1918), Steve Deere (1948), Tommy Graham (1958)
April 1 - Iain Dunn (1970), Jack Marriott (1928)
April 2 - Gary Powell (1969), Roy Taylor (1933)
April 3 - Geoff Couch (1953), Simon Snow (1966)
April 4 - Phil Ashworth (1953), Graham Rusling (1948)
April 6 - Gary Jones (1969), Stewart Taylor (1946)