The Iron have progressed to the second round of the Emirates FA Cup after beating Burton Albion at Glanford Park this afternoon.

Goals from James Perch, which was his first for the club, and Lee Novak put Scunthorpe in front during the first-half.

Burton got one back with ten minutes remaining through Liam Boyce, but the Iron held on to record a victory.

Manager Stuart McCall made three changes from last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Oxford. Captain Rory McArdle and Ike Ugbo made a return in place of Charlie Goode and James Horsfield, alongside full-back Lewis Butroid who replaced Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.

The Iron were presented with an early chance when Ugbo poached the ball off the Burton defence. As he drove forward and passed to Ryan Colclough, the visitors got numbers back quickly and blocked the winger’s cross.

Burton then had a couple of half chances. Scott Fraser raised his shot over the bar and Jake Hesketh saw his effort blocked from the edge of the box.

Coming forward again, Burton attacked down the right side through Fraser and he crossed a low ball into the area, which was poked goalwards by the sliding Devante Cole. Jak Alnwick dived on the ball to make a close range save.

However, it was the Iron who broke the deadlock to go 1-0 up in the 16th minute. George Thomas stepped up to take a free-kick 20-yards out, forcing Bradley Collins into a save. The goalkeeper palmed the ball back into the danger zone for Perch to head the rebound home.

Seventeen minutes later, the Iron’s lead was doubled through Novak. A poor header from Damien McCrory to his goalkeeper was intercepted by the striker, who controlled the ball and slotted it past Collins from inside the box.

Looking for a way back into the match, Stephen Quinn attempted to catch Alnwick off his line, but the Iron goalkeeper recovered to push the shot behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Alnwick made an easy stop to deny Boyce.

Another error at the back for Burton nearly allowed Jordan Clarke through, but he was wiped out by Kyle McFadzean, who received a yellow card. Thomas, however, curled the free-kick over the crossbar. 

Unfortunately, five minutes later, Clarke had to come off injured following a different incident. James Horsfield replaced the defender, with the opening goalscorer Perch moving to right-back.

In stoppage time of the first half, Quinn had another try from distance, but his first-time strike flew over the bar.

After the break, Fraser made a darting run through the middle for the Brewers and struck a dipping shot at Alnwick, who smothered the ball. 

In the 62nd minute, McArdle made a superb tackle in his own box to take the ball away from Cole, who was getting ready to strike at the target.

The Iron advanced forward soon after with Colclough and Novak combining, but the striker’s attempt was saved by Collins.

Alnwick then made two impressive saves in quick succession to deny Burton. David Templeton was played through in the box, drilling an effort at goal which Alnwick reacted quickly to. He palmed it away, but had to get back up quickly to stop a Boyce rebound, pushing it away for a corner.

Boyce had another look at goal one minute later, which Alnwick stopped again. The Burton player tried to sneak the ball into the bottom left corner, but the Iron shot-stopper dived to his right to save.

McCall was then forced into a substitute in the 76th minute when Thomas went down injured. The Welsh international was replaced by Kyle Wootton.

Shortly later, Boyce gave his side hope going into the remaining the ten minutes. The ball was rolled to the forward, slamming the ball past Alnwick to make it 2-1.

They came forward once more in search of an equaliser, but William Miller’s shot bounced past the right post.

The fourth official indicated a minimum of six added minutes at the end of the game, but United held on to their 2-1 lead to advance through to the second round of the competition.

TEAM LINE-UPS:
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick, Clarke (Horsfield, 45’), Lund, Ugbo, Perch, Novak, Thomas (Wootton, 76’), Burgess, McArdle (c), Butroid, Colclough (Dales, 79’).
Unused substitutes: Flatt, Ojo, Humphrys, Lewis.

Burton Albion: Collins, Brayford, Allen, McFadzean, Fraser, Hesketh (Sordell, 60’ (Miller, 81’)), Akins (c), McCrory (Templeton, 67’), Quinn, Boyce, Cole.
Unused substitutes: Evtimov, Buxton, Sbarra, Harness.

Referee: Andy Haines

Attendance: 2,260.