With the Iron’s position in the home play-off eliminator already confirmed for Tuesday night, they would enter this afternoon’s encounter against lower table languishers Eastleigh FC looking to establish momentum heading into their upcoming season-defining fixture.
Andy Butler named his final team for the Enterprise National League season, making three changes to his side. Firstly, Declan Howe was selected to start following his late goal last weekend, replacing Pat Jones, who dropped to the bench. Elsewhere, Scotsman Connor Smith came into the Starting XI to replace wide man Cal Roberts, who was rested after being forced off with an injury against Wealdstone last time out. Finally, Defender Jean Belehouan drops out of the squad due to a slight knock and was replaced by right-sided Defender Ross Barrows.
When proceedings were set underway at the Attis Arena, United would make an explosive start to the encounter by setting an early tempo and creating several promising opportunities.
The Iron’s first real opportunity to open the scoring would come in the 7th minute when an attempted delivery into the area was swept away into the well-positioned path of Joe Rowley on the edge of the area, with the midfielder settling himself before driving an effort towards the target that appeared to be goal bound, if not for a heavy deflection that carried the ball over the head of Eastleigh goalkeeper Nick Townsend and behind for a corner.
Despite Scunthorpe taking charge of the opening 15 minutes, it would be the visitors who took a surprise lead through a well-worked counterattack. From one end to the other, the Spitfires would strike, surging forward through Inih Effiong on the right flank before sliding a pinpoint pass across the box to find Harvey Saunders, who slotted the ball beneath Louis Jones and into the bottom corner for 1-0.
In the minutes that followed the opener, the Iron would see several worthy penalty appeals waved away by the referee, denying United of the chance to draw level when both Connor Smith and Declan Howe were hauled to the ground in the area.
With 26 minutes on the clock, there would be a golden chance for Scunthorpe to draw level when a free-kick into the area would be nodded down into the path of Danny Whitehall, a matter of yards from goal, allowing the forward to try and fire the ball home from a tight angle, although his shot was superbly stopped by the onrushing Nick Townsend.
As United continued to threaten from set-pieces, they would create yet another promising opportunity when Oli Ewing’s pinpointed delivery found the run of Connor Smith just inside the penalty area, allowing the former Scottish youth international to provide a glancing header towards Townsend that narrowly evaded the far post.
This would bring the first half to its end with Scunthorpe unfortunate to be behind. However, there was a constant dead rubber atmosphere around the stadium, emphasised by the Iron making four changes at the break, including that of a league debut for youthful Defender Harry Shipstone.
After another impressive start to the second half’s proceedings, the Iron would have to wait until the 56th minute to create a chance to pull themselves level and it would come through a sensational trivela pass from Shipstone to release Alfie Beestin on the edge of the area, as the midfielder stung the ball towards the target, clipping the outside of the post on its way behind as it drifted just too far wide.
As the Iron pushed towards the equaliser, it would be Butler’s substitutions that were running the show, especially when Kian Scales latched onto an accurate through ball beyond the Eastleigh defence and one-on-one with the goalkeeper, albeit from a wide angle. As he bore down on Townsend, Scales would look to drive his shot towards the bottom corner, forcing a huge save out of the goalkeeper to protect his side’s lead.
The half’s next action would come for the visitors as the ever-present Effiong looked to put the game to bed. On this occasion, it was Saunders to Effiong as the strike partners combined again, presenting the latter with the chance to slot home, although he was unable, as Louis Jones produced a remarkable diving stop to push the ball away, getting back to his feet quickly to again deny the towering forward.
With United living dangerously in their pursuit of an equaliser, they would need to make the most of their attacking output when they had the chance, and they would very nearly accomplish this when Joey Dawson brought down possession in the area and flicked play inside to Smith, allowing him to curl the ball towards the top corner with an instinctive strike that drew Townsend into making a ridiculous diving stop.
With the game at its death and all hope of a Scunthorpe equaliser virtually disbanded, there would be one final opportunity for the Iron to draw level when Branden Horton surged forward from left-back late on. Steaming onto the ball at range, Horton would produce a ridiculous volleyed strike towards the roof of the net, catching Townsend off guard as the effort continued to rise over the crossbar, missing the target to condemn United to defeat.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Evans (Scales, 45), Howe (Dawson, 63), Whitehall (Dausch, 45), Rowley (Beestin, 45), Ewing, Westbrooke, Smith, Denton (Shipstone, 45) Barrows.
IRON SUBS: Mahady, Jones.
ATTENDANCE: 4,864 (47 away)
REFEREE: Oliver Mackey
