After a dramatic improvement to the Iron’s performance during the second half of last weekend’s encounter with Solihull Moors, Scunthorpe would come into this afternoon’s tie with Yeovil Town looking for a statement victory that would put an end to their barren run of form that they were looking to leave behind them in February.
With regards to United’s team selection for the fixture, there was to be just one alteration to Andy Butler’s side as Barnsley loanee Leo Farrell dropped to the bench despite a positive debut last time out, allowing Scotsman Connor Smith to come into the starting XI.
It would be the Iron who got proceedings underway at Huish Park, looking to set an early tempo on their opponents, who were looking rightfully confident after two successive league victories.
With possession changing hands several times during the game’s early exchanges, it would be Scunthorpe who created the first opportunity through some sensational solo play from Cal Roberts. After receiving possession on his favoured right-hand flank, Roberts would skip beyond his marker with a quick turn of pace, gliding towards the penalty area before driving the ball across the six-yard box, forcing Yeovil goalkeeper Jed Ward into a reaction save to turn the ball behind the post.
Following this interaction, the hosts would look for an instant response as they built the ball forward and recycled play back into the path of Ryan Jones, allowing the wing-back to swing the ball towards the far post for former Iron forward Aaron Jarvis to attack. After the initial cross was knocked down in the area, Jarvis would attempt to backheel the ball towards the target in what was a somewhat tame effort for Louis Jones to smother.
The next opportunity to report would be the best yet for Scunthorpe as they sprung their offensive trap to win back possession in their opponents final third. With the Glovers panicking under pressure at the back, Zain Westbrooke would seize his opportunity to win the ball and slide Roberts into the area with a bouncing ball. Waiting for the ball to sit for himself, Roberts would have to wait before lashing the ball towards the target, seeing his effort well blocked by a recovering defender, taking the sting out of his shot and allowing Ward to collect.
As the first half dragged on, the game continued to hang in the balance as neither side looked set to break the deadlock. This was until the hosts would have a golden chance to obtain the opening goal, when a neat piece of interplay saw James Daly fed into the penalty area with a low cross that he looked to convert with a lofted finish towards the far post that narrowly evaded the target.
This would be the final action of the first period as the two sides retreated down the tunnel looking for some much-needed inspiration from their respective coaches if they were to be the ones to break the deadlock.
Following the restart, United would look a rejuvenated outfit from the moment they re-emerged from the tunnel, sustaining a wave of pressure in their opponents’ half and, as a result, finding a route to the opener from the penalty spot.
Despite appearing in an offside position, Danny Whitehall would somehow skip clear of the Yeovil defence in the penalty area, forcing defender Joy Mukena to hack down the Scunthorpe striker in the area, resulting in the referee awarding a spot kick. From the resultant penalty, Whitehall would collect the ball himself and comfortably dispatch the ball beyond Ward to make it 1-0.
With United now in possession of the lead and looking to add a quick-fire second, they would create a fabulous chance to double their lead when the result of several crosses into the area saw a Scunthorpe knock down into the path of the undetected Barrows in the area. With the ball bouncing in front of him, the right-back would lean back before striking the ball, sending the ball soaring high over the bar.
With just over an hour played at Huish Park, the hosts would mount an offensive onslaught on the Iron net as they frantically searched for an equaliser. From this attack, Yeovil would threaten on a number of occasions, although the best chance would be brilliantly denied by Louis Jones, who somehow managed to claw the ball away from a goalmouth scramble before a follow-up shot was tremendously blocked to clear the danger.
Iron manager Butler had received criticism for his substitutions against Solihull, but on this occasion, there could be no disputing the changes he made as merely a minute after the introduction of Tyler Denton and Leo Farrell, the duo would combine to create Scunthorpe’s second. Winning the ball back in the final third, Denton would start off a sensational passage of play by receiving a one-two from Roberts, before breaking into the area and sliding a first-time ball across goal for Farrell, who marked his first goal for the club with relative ease.
Now two goals to the good, the Iron would look to rub salt in the Yeovil wounds yet again in the 84th minute when a tired-looking Glovers defence was beaten by the Scunthorpe press, allowing Farrell to steal in and go one on one with the goalkeeper, although the loanee forward would be denied his second goal by the palms of Ward who spread himself wide to block the shot.
With proceedings coming to an end and United seemingly coasting towards victory, a crucial three points would at last be sealed when Farrell made no mistake this time around, obtaining his second of the afternoon. Again, it was Denton who provided the assist, releasing Farrell in behind the defence to send him clean through on goal, dispatching his shot beyond the outstretched reach of Ward to top off the victory in style.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Boyce, Whitehall (Farrell, 72), Roberts (Beestin, 90), Rowley, Tahir (Denton, 72), Ewing, Westbrooke, Smith (Dausch, 65), Barrows (Starbuck, 72).
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Mahady, Ubaezuonu.
ATTENDANCE: 3,016 (147 away)
REFEREE: David Nicholson (replaced Callum Walchester prior to kick-off due to injury)
