The Iron fell to a disappointing defeat away at King’s Lynn Town on Tuesday night.
Jimmy Dean named an unchanged side for the trip to the Walks following back-to-back 2-0 wins at Banbury United and against Gloucester City, respectively.
The only alteration to the squad saw Danny Elliott return to the bench, in place of Cameron Wilson.
In the early exchanges, both sides looked to get hold of the ball. King’s Lynn were denied a break through on three minutes by the offside flag which would have undoubtedly opened the scoreline with two attackers racing through, while the Iron had half-openings of their own, with Danny Whitehall prominent in the hold-up play, with Jason Law seeing one effort blocked.
The first corner of the game went to the Iron on eight minutes, as Whitehall knocked the ball down and cushioned it to Scales. He found Smith out left, who sent a bobbling effort just wide via a save from the goalkeeper.
Three minutes later, the Linnets had the best opening of the game so far when they worked the ball around the area nicely before cutting inside from the right flank. The cross into the area was connected by Stephens, but he sent his volley into the car park.
The Iron would break the deadlock soon after when tenacious and persistent work from Scales would see him drive through the midfield and win the ball back shortly after the hosts claimed the ball. He would send an effort towards goal, which was deflected behind for a corner.
From that set-piece, Jacob Butterfield claimed another assist to add to his collection, with Andrew Boyce rising highest to head into the net.
There was almost an instant response from the hosts, just one minute later, as they crept in on the left side, with the goal bound effort from Cybulski deflected into the side-netting. After the corner, the Linnets had half a handball shout in the area waved away by the referee.
King’s Lynn would have a couple of sighters in the minutes that followed, with Will Jones sending an effort into the car park on 27 minutes before another effort was cued into the same direction soon after.
Ross Fitzsimons would come and claim two right-winged crosses as play went beyond the half hour mark, as the Linnets probed for an equaliser.
The equaliser did arrive on 36 minutes when skipper for the home side, Josh Coulson, lashed the ball into the corner following a scramble inside the box, as the Iron failed to clear a corner.
With proceedings level, King’s Lynn would go ahead just three minutes later with George Morrison drilling a long range effort into the corner of the net via the toe of Bartosz Cybulski.
It left the Iron with a mountain to climb, although there were two opportunities prior to the interval to draw level. Firstly, Evans drilled a long ranged effort wide of the target before Barrows got in behind on the right, seeing his effort turned behind for a late corner.
With no alterations at half-time from Jimmy Dean, the United took to the field in the second-half looking to find the equaliser, and began the 45 with purpose. Each time the Iron looked like they’d found an opening, they were quickly marshalled by a player in blue and gold.
Scunthorpe showed good movement, with Law shifting away from his marker before sending the ball inside on 50 minutes. Barrows made the run, and saw his drilled effort turned behind for a corner.
The next two minutes would see the Iron pile on the pressure with possession around the Linnets’ box, but they were unable to find the opening for an effort on goal despite intricate passing throughout.
Callum Roberts was introduced into the game on 58 minutes to replace Law, as the Iron continued to look for the so-far elusive equaliser.
He might’ve had a penalty shout almost immediately, as he skipped into the area from the right before going down. The assistant referee saw a touch and looked poised to give a corner, before the referee intervened to give a goal kick.
Roberts would be involved again soon after, as he received the ball from Clunan 30-yards from goal before he sent a left-footed effort high and wide of the target.
Butterfield had been restricted to laying the ball off so far in the game, with close defending around him throughout, but he did have a sighter with 20 minutes to go following a one-two with Scales. The effort skipped up off the surface after taking a slight deflection, but was saved by Paul Jones.
With Danny Elliott introduced with the final 17 minutes of normal time to go, he quickly looked to make an impression, flashing an effort across goal, but there was no one to connect to the chance.
He would have the next Iron chance on goal with nine minutes to go, as he looked poised to net from a Jack Jenkins knock-down inside the six-yard box, but he stabbed his effort over the bar.
Callum Roberts then went down in the aftermath of two corners to the Iron and required extensive treatment inside the penalty area before being forced off on a stretcher.
10 minutes of additional time were indicated as a result, and in the seventh, the Iron had their final chance to equalise, with Boyce heading over the bar from a right-winged cross.
On the breakaway, King’s Lynn sealed the points. Fitzsimons saved the attempt from the edge of the box but Morrison was on hand to send home the rebound.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Evans, Boyce, Clunan, Butterfield, Scales (Jenkins, 73), Smith, Law (Roberts, 58), Denton, Barrows, Whitehall (Elliott, 73).
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Kelly, Kouogun.
