The Iron drew 0-0 at home to Sunderland in their latest pre-season friendly on Wednesday night.

Graham Alexander handed home debuts to Matt Gilks, Rory McArdle, Funso Ojo and Cameron Burgess in the match.

It was a game the home side dominated for large parts, and certainly in the notable goal efforts department, but a combination of close shaves and brilliant goalkeeping from the Sunderland number one meant both sides had to settle for a goalless draw.

The Iron started the brighter of the two sides in the opening ten minutes, but despite some clever passing, they couldn’t find an opportunity on goal.

That was until Neal Bishop picked the ball up as the away defence scrambled away a shot, but Bishop’s effort was held well by Robbin Ruiter.

Ten minutes went by without another notable chance for either side, with credit down to both defences, who were on top of their game.

It should have been 1-0 to United 12 minutes before the break, after good work down the left ended with Conor Townsend in a great position to cross, but the resulting cross was volleyed over by Paddy Madden.

It was the home side that continued to dominate the chances, when Hakeeb Adelakun went close from a 30-yard drilled shot, but Ruiter parried to safety.

The final opportunity of the first period fell to last season’s top scorer, Josh Morris, but his effort on his weaker foot went narrowly wide of Ruiter’s goal.

United started the second half much like how they finished the first, and it wasn’t long before the impressive Adelakun found space to shoot, with the effort taking a deflection to go narrowly wide.

Then, at the other end, Gilks was forced into action from a goal-bound effort, but held on to the ball well.

Funso Ojo had the whole of Glanford Park on their feet ten minutes into the second period, when he hit the ball superbly from 30 yards out, only for it to cannon back off the crossbar and out.

Morris won himself a free-kick in a dangerous position a few minutes later, and stepped up to take it himself, but Ruiter held well.

Madden and Townsend linked up superb with 18 minutes to go, with the Irishman then laying it into the path of Townsend, but his shot from a narrow angle went wide.

Gilks was the hero five minutes later, when he somehow parried away a goal-bound effort from the Sunderland forward. He made it look much easier than it actually was.

Gilks’ opposite number then saved his own team, as he somehow clawed out Kevin van Veen’s headed effort, before Duane Holmes had an effort blocked, and then put his second effort wide.

It was then Gilks’ chance to pull off a world-class save, as he parried away a certain goal. Jordan Clarke ended an entertaining game with a great effort with the last kick off the evening, but the game would end score-less.

TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Gilks, Clarke, Townsend, Wallace, Ojo (van Veen, 63), Madden (Margetts, 78), Morris, Bishop, Adelakun (Holmes, 78), Burgess, McArdle (Goode, 78).
Substitutes not used: Watson, Hopper, Sutton, Wootton.

Sunderland AFC: Ruiter, Matthews, Galloway (Jones, 71), Gibson (Khazri, 60), O’Shea (C), Kone, Asoro, Embleton (Cattermole, 60), Vaughan (Love, 71), Honeyman, McGeady (N’Dong, 60).
Substitutes not used: Domingues, Robson, Beadling.

Attendance: 2,794.