Ten-man Scunthorpe United twice went in front before settling for a point in their latest away encounter.
Manager Jimmy Dean’s unchanged Iron were back on the road to face an Alfreton side that had won three and lost three going into the fixture. The squad also looked to build on Bank Holiday Monday’s 4-1 dispatching of Scarborough Athletic at Glanford Park.
United bolstered the squad on Friday in the form of 12th summer signing Connor Smith from Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian. The Scotland youth international Smith made the bench on the Iron’s teamsheet but was raring to make an immediate impact in claret and blue.
It was the hosts that got the tie underway and, after five minutes of neither team being able to gain a foothold, Alfreton were given an early lifeline as Saturday’s man of the match for United Kian Scales was brandished a straight red card after he went into a challenge with Dwayne Wiley.
The hosts seemed intent to build on Scales’ dismissal and on 12 minutes they were presented their first chance, a long-hoisted ball from right-back Josh Clackstone found the head of a Reds player who nodded it home only for the referee to bring it back for a foul on Scunthorpe goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Iron still appeared to be the dominant side and when Danny Whitehall was brought down 25 yards from goal, the resulting free-kick nestled beautifully in the corner, despite the best efforts of former Sheffield United goalkeeper George Willis.
Alfreton went in search of an immediate response, and it was found 35 minutes into the encounter. The man who was fouled for the red card Wiley had a dig from range and his effort deflected to find the bottom corner making it 1-1 giving the Iron work to do.
Despite the equaliser, United made the best possible response. Striker Danny Elliott came into the game off the back of opening his account for the campaign against Scarborough, Elliott capitalised on a loose ball on the edge of the hosts area. He then unleashed a brilliant low driven effort that slotted past the helpless Willis to restore the lead.
As half time loomed, the Reds found themselves incredibly lucky not to receive a red card for themselves. Centre-back Will Evans found himself on the receiving end of a brutal elbow inside the Iron area, despite the clear offence the referee allowed play to continue before he signalled the end of the half.
After a delayed restart, the Iron continued to apply pressure on the Alfreton goal and after Cameron Wilson brought a lofted ball down brilliantly, he laid it off to Whitehall who after a bit of trickery saw shot rebounded away.
Despite the run of play, the hosts found their second equaliser of the day this time through Clackstone who unleashed a powerful strike which caught Fitzsimons off guard at his near post making it 2-2 with 35 minutes remaining.
The Reds began to put their foot on the gas and almost took the lead for the first time in the fixture. Striker Jake Day beat the offside trap and cleanly struck an effort towards Fitzsimons who had sprung into life clawing the ball away in what was a fantastic reaction stop.
The hosts would be living to regret their missed chances as with half an hour to go they really should have taken the lead. After a dangerous corner hadn’t been delt with, Day found himself open again with a relatively open goal to aim for, but his header went soaring over the bar.
New addition Connor Smith was introduced to the Iron faithful with half an hour remaining and when he cut inside on the edge of the area it could’ve been a debut to remember for the creative midfielder. His shot was struck cleanly and was sent arrowing towards Willis’ far post. The ‘keeper just managed to outstretch an arm and parry the ball away from danger.
As the game dragged out neither team seemed able to get that gilt-edged chance. 15 minutes of back-and-forth action led to the penultimate chance for the Iron. Some slick feet from Smith was complete with a switch to fellow substitute Michael Kelly. His cross was inch perfect but Elliott’s glancing header was met comfortably by Willis.
And with one half-chance towards the end of the game, the effort proved to be the last action of the fixture as the referee sounded his whistle to signal a point on the road for the Iron in a game that could only be described as an uphill battle from the start.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Kouogun, Evans, Elliott, Wilson (Smith, 61), Butterfield (Kelly, 61), Scales, Shrimpton, Denton, Whitehall (Pugh, 74).
IRON SUBS: Boyce, Sembie-Ferris.
