Scunthorpe United FC

The Iron were pegged back to draw 1-1 away at Carlisle United.

Karl Hawley had given Scunthorpe the lead early in the second half but the hosts hit back through a spectacular David Symington free-kick to clinch a share of the spoils.

The Iron entered the game making one change from the side which won 2-1 at Colchester a fortnight ago.

Mark Duffy came into the side in place of Mike Grella, who returned to the substitutes' bench after the Liverpudlian recovered from illness.

Sam Slocombe started in goal, with Tom Newey, Paul Reid, Niall Canavan and Callum Kennedy forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Duffy, Michael Collins, Jimmy Ryan and Andy Barcham, while Akpo Sodje and Hawley led the attack.

The substitutes were Grella, James Severn, Jamie Wootton, David Mirfin, Robbie Gibbons, Callum Howe and Matt Godden.

The game got off to a lively start and Scunthorpe had their first chance in the third minute when Sodje and Barcham linked up before the latter fired a right-footed effort well wide of goal.

Then, just three minutes later, Duffy dribbled his way into the 18-yard box and picked out Barcham with a pass but his attempt was blocked to safety.

With nine minutes on the clock, Andy Welsh held off the challenges of Newey and Duffy before squeezing a shot away only for it to be easily saved by Slocombe.

In the first 20 minutes, the game remained very even as both sides cancelled each other out - though, as the game approached this mark, Ryan stabbed an effort over the crossbar in a free-kick routine after being teed up by Duffy.

Then, Barcham sent a long distance effort wide as Scunthorpe continued to press.

On 25 minutes, Newey came the closest to a goal so far when he rose to meet a Duffy corner but he sent his header marginally over the crossbar.

As the half wore on, Csrlisle started to make more of their home advantage and pressed in numbers. However, the Scunthorpe defence were holding firm - dealing well with a succession of dangerous crosses.

And their next chance arrived in the 38th minute, when Hawley found space on the right side of the penalty area but struck a fierce drive wide.

As half-time approached, Scunthorpe were enjoying more possession in the attacking third of the pitch, and Sodje was next to have an attempt at goal - volleying a snatched effort well wide. However, it proved to be the last notable action of the opening period.

The hosts had the first chance of the second half on 48 minutes when Sean O'Hanlon met a McGovern cross with a header, which Slocombe had to tip over the crossbar.

It was an open beginning to the second period, as Liam Noble drew a save from Slocombe with a drilled effort after being played in by McGovern.

Then, Barcham broke down the left and teed up Hawley before his strike was cleared off the goal-line.

However, on 52 minutes, Scunthorpe took the lead - as Newey broke down the right and played the ball across the face of goal for Hawley to tap home for his seventh goal of the season.

Reacting to the goal, the hosts tried to force the issue and won a succession of corners - nevertheless, the visitors dealt with the threat.

During that spell, Slocombe had to be sharp to stop an effort from O'Hanlon.

On 68 minutes, United almost had a second one, with Hawley turning to fire an effort just over the crossbar after a Kennedy cross from the left wing.

The hosts managed to level on 75 minutes though when substitute Symington, with his first touch, stepped up to slam home a 35-yard free-kick. He took it from the left angle, with the thunderous drive going well beyond Slocombe.

The hosts pushed hard to find a winner but Slocombe and the defence managed to withstand the high number of crosses sent into the area.

United made their only two substitutions of the game with two minutes of normal time left as Mirfin and Grella replaced Barcham and Duffy.

There were four minutes of stoppage time and Grella almost made an instant impact, working his way into space down the right side of the area before a clipping a cross-cum-shot just wide.

Then, Hawley tried some trickery down the left but nobody was there to meet his clipped cross.

Scunthorpe are back in action next Saturday when they visit Crewe Alexandra.

TEAM LINE-UPS
Carlisle United: Gillespie, Simek, Livesey, O'Hanlon, Robson, Noble, Berrett, Potts, McGovern (Symington, 73), Miller, Welsh.
Substitutes not used: Collin, Loy, Cadamarteri, Thirlwell, Beck, Todd.

Scunthorpe United: Slocombe, Newey, Reid, Canavan, Kennedy, Duffy (Grella, 89), Collins, Ryan, Barcham (Mirfin, 89), Sodje, Hawley.
Substitutes not used: Severn, Wootton, Gibbons, Howe, Godden.

Referee: Michael Naylor.

Attendance: 3,829 (123 away).