First team manager Andy Butler speaks following his side's 2-1 win over Scarborough Athletic.

Forward Mark Beck speaks after the Iron take all three points at home to Scarborough Athletic.

The Iron were back in National league North action again this afternoon when they welcomed Yorkshire based outfit Scarborough Athletic to the fortress that is the Attis Arena.

According to the league standings, the Seadogs had been drastically underperforming since handing United their first defeat of the season back in September, due to this previous defeat it was bound to make Scunthorpe that little bit hungrier to get revenge over their rivals.

For the fixture there would be a singular change to the Scunthorpe starting XI that clawed a point from the jaws of defeat in midweek against Curzon Ashton. This alteration would come in the form of a straight swap in attack as forward Danny Whitehall, who was forced off with an early injury against the Nash on Tuesday night, missing out with colossal striker Mark Beck coming in as a worthy replacement.

The Iron got the game underway on home soil by retaining possession and mounted a promising attack inside the opening minute. It would be a long ball into Beck that would cause problems for the Scarborough defence as he knocked the ball down into the path of fellow forward Alfie Beestin who broke in behind by knocking the ball beyond his covering marker. With only the 'keeper to beat and less than a minute on the clock the chance would go a miss for United, Beestin’s low driven strike was rushed and failed to beat the well-timed dive of Ryan Whitley who palmed the ball away.

Following this early opportunity Scunthorpe would go on to establish their dominance over their travelling opponents, however despite controlling the majority of possession the Iron struggled to break down their opponents well drilled defensive line combined with being hindered by the tricky surface.

This theme of the Seadogs defending the 0-0 scoreline valiantly would continue until the 28th minute when multiple Scarborough attacks resulted in two penalty shouts in quick succession. When Winger Harry Green was seen on the floor after pressure from the jockeying Beestin, referee Kavan Hurn waved away the shouts swiftly.

With 37 minutes on the clock the deadlock would finally be broken in incredible fashion. Who else would it be but Cal Roberts to produce the extraordinary as he attempted to catch out Whitley directly from a quickly taken corner under the pressure of Maxim Kouogun. The ball was sent flying across the penalty area and caught out Whitley who in a desperate attempt to turn the ball away from goal tried to parry the cross clear and in doing so could only turn it into the back of the net giving United the lead in the process.

In the last action of the half the Iron would come close to doubling their advantage through a fabulous team move down the right flank. It was Roberts again who sculpted the opportunity as he chopped inside his man and slotted the ball to Beestin in the penalty area. With the ball at his feet Beestin provided a perfectly weighted lay off to Kian Scales on the edge of the box who hammered a low effort that was destined for the bottom corner, only for a desperate block on the line from a Scarborough body that denied United of a second.

After the restart when the teams had returned to the field of play there was an uplift in performance from both teams as clearly the message in both camps during the break had been that the next goal was to be crucial.

No more than five minutes into the half the visitors would have an outstanding opportunity to level the scores when a rebounding ball fell to Luca Coalville 20 yards out from goal. After a touch to steady himself the winger lashed a hopeful volley towards Ross Fitzsimons that had the keeper scrambling until it swerved right and dropped just wide of the of the far post in the process.

After some goalkeeping heroics from Whitley to deny the substitute Mo Fadera of a third goal in as many games he wouldn’t be able to deny another one of Andy Butler’s inspired substitutes from close range. When Roberts received the ball on the half turn and took the ball to the by-line, he would raise his head to see striker Carlton Ubaezuonu unmarked in the penalty area, Roberts’ pass was pinpoint and left the Irishman with an easy finish from a matter of yards that snuck across the line despite the best efforts of the goalkeeper.

Despite finally doubling their lead over the Seadogs the deficit would be halved by the visitors almost instantly as winger Harry Green produced a magnificent set-piece of his own from 25-yards. After standing over the softly awarded free-kick, Green would step up and wrap an powerfully struck effort around the wall and into the top right-hand corner, wrongfooting the goalkeeper as it flew straight in.

This goal from seemingly nowhere would open up the game for the remaining 10 minutes and in doing so provided the Seadogs with the ammunition they needed to push forward for a late equaliser.

However, some desperate defending and spirited shot blocking would result in United making it to the final whistle with their narrow lead intact. After Hurn signalled the final whistle to make it seven games unbeaten for Butler’s Iron, there was a sigh of relief around the stadium courtesy of Ubaezuonu’s first goal in claret and blue to extend Scunthorpe’s remarkable run of just one loss in the past three months.

IRON: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan, Beestin (Ubaezuonu, 75), Roberts (Starbuck, 80), Rowley (90+3), Beck (Fadera, 61), Scales (Evans, 90), Denton, Rose.

Guarantee your copy of "Unity", Scunthorpe United's printed programme for the Iron v Scarborough Athletic this Saturday.

Scunthorpe United is delighted to offer a printed programme as it returns to the Attis Arena for the 2024-25 season.

Not buying in advance? Our 52-page production will still be available to purchase in our club shop, and with sellers around the ground on matchday.

With first team manager Andy Butler's latest set of notes, a preview of our opposition, and an interview with Maxim Kouogun, we also review the last couple of weeks, and look at the stats so far.

As well as this, we continue his historical column from the late John Staff.

You can purchase our programmes around the ground on matchday, and also in our club shop. Our league edition is £3.

You can purchase online by clicking here.

The club has taken the decision to return to a printed programme after a number of supporters expressed a desire for it to return. Please note that we are attempting to make this venture financially viable, and the only way a printed programme will continue is for supporters to support us by purchasing it.

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