Scunthorpe United Youth 1-2 Chesterfield Youth
Report from Birch Park

The Iron's junior side were beaten 2-1 by their Chesterfield counterparts at Birch Park on Saturday morning.

United made a good start which saw Joe Maguire's shot blocked from a Jack Cross corner on seven minutes. Chesterfield responded and their main striker headed wide.

The Iron were playing the ball about with some quality but fell behind much against the run of play on 18 minutes. Central defender Richard Dean missed his tackle and the visitors slotted past home keeper Jake Turner.

United hit straight back and equalised with Johnathan Williams bending his free kick around the wall to level the scores on 20 minutes after Cross had been fouled on the edge of the box.

Comer was adjudged to have fouled the Chesterfield winger and the visitors took the lead again from the free kick as Dean lost his man in the box allowing a free header.

United were not deflated by conceding and Aron Wint shot narrowly over after following up on a back pass.

Iron striker Josh Thomas had a great chance to equalise on 33 minutes. Sam Comer put in a terrific cross from the Iron left and Thomas, when unmarked and 6 yards out, could only put his free header in to the hands of the Chesterfield keeper.

It was United full back Comer getting forward again on 42 minutes who saw his shot well saved by the visitors keeper.

On the stroke of half time Maguire headed over from another Iron corner and the home team went in undeservedly trailing at the interval.

The home team started the second half really well and Marcus Gibbs shot just past the visitors post on 47 minutes.

United were really turning the screw and striker Aron Wint went close a minute later when he put his header wide of the Spireites post.

The visitors had a chance of their own and their central striker headed wide when well positioned on 49 minutes.

On 73 minutes, Williams saw his free kick spilled by the visitor's keeper but United did not have anyone following up and the chance was cleared.

Gibbs thought that he had scored on 80 minutes but his header drifted wide of the far post.

It was all one way traffic as United dominated the opposition and it was Alfred Gbanie who took too long to shoot at the far post after a good ball from Cross after 83 minutes.

United made a double substitution on 84 minutes with Wint and Thomas replaced by under 16 Ryan Ruddiforth and Jordan Thewlis returning after a month out with an ankle injury.

Youth Coach Tony Daws said: "I was delighted with our performance; I thought that we played really well.

"We passed the ball well and pinned Chesterfield back in to their own half for most of the game, but particularly in the second half.

"On a luckier day we could have scored another two or three goals. There were some excellent performances from our boys."