The Iron will be bidding to register a first win over Bury since November 2005 when we meet this weekend.
United drew 2-2 against the Shakers at Gigg Lane earlier this season, with Sam Winnall hitting a brace before being sent off for a second bookable offence.Chris Sedgwick and Danny Nardiello pegged it back against the ten men though as the home side secured a Boxing Day point.
Around this time last year…
This was a League One fixture just last season, with the sides meeting on 16 April 2013.
Four current Iron players featured in the starting line-up that day, as Niall Canavan, Eddie Nolan, Michael Collins and Matt Godden were selected by manager Brian Laws.
One of those number – Canavan – was to succumb to injury just ten minutes into the game however, leading to fellow current Iron representative David Mirfin replacing him. Also on the bench that day were Sam Slocombe and Christian Ribeiro, although both were left as unused substitutes.
The game finished 2-1 to Bury despite the Iron leading the match going into the break, as Karl Hawley headed in Mark Duffy’s cross on the stoke of half-time. However, Jonson Clarke-Harris brought the home side level on 68 minutes with a sublime free-kick.
The heavily depleted Shakers – who only named two substitutes and had already been relegated from the division – then went in front barely minutes later when former Iron forward Nicky Ajose slotted home through the legs of United goalkeeper Eirik Holmen Johansen.
That defeat left the Iron’s hopes of survival in League One hanging by a thread, putting them five points from safety with two games remaining. United would go on to win their final two games of the season, but it would not prove to be enough to stave off the threat of relegation to League Two on the final day as results elsewhere conspired against them.
A late winner…
Steve Torpey hit an 87th minute winner as United ended a run of four League Two games without a win against Bury at Glanford Park on 15 January 2005.
United started the game brightest, and took the lead in the sixth minute when Andy Butler headed home his seventh goal of the campaign from Peter Beagrie’s corner.
Bury came close to levelling on 28 minutes when Simon Whaley crashed an effort off the bar, but went one better just three minutes later as Chris Ported nodded in Thomas Kennedy’s cross. Things got even better for the away side two minutes after the break, when former – and soon to be future – Iron forward Andy Keogh put his side in front for the first time.
That spurred United into action, and they equalised in the 64th minute when Cleveland Taylor reacted quickest to turn in Beagrie’s corner after pin-ball in the box before Beagrie crashed a free-kick against the woodwork.
The Iron began to dominate proceedings, and stole the points three minutes from time when Torpey headed home his 11th of the season from a cross by substitute Taylor.
The result lifted United level with leaders Yeovil Town – only being denied top-spot courtesy of The Glovers having scored more goals. That’s how the final table would finish come May, with the Iron taking the second promotion spot.
The last FA Cup meeting…
The two sides were last drawn to face each other in the FA Cup during the 2005/2006 season, with Bury initially being drawn as the home side for the first round tie on 5 November 2005. The first game ended in a draw, as Bury recovered from two goals down to force a replay following first-half United goals from Andy Keogh and Ian Baraclough.
After the break, a contentious Tom Kennedy penalty reduced the deficit, before Paul Scott drove home a leveller with 20 minutes remaining. That comeback saw Bury travel to Glanford Park 10 days later, although the game remained goalless in regulation time – and it was not until deep into extra-time that Iron substitute Tommy Johnson’s first goal for the club earned United a second round tie at Conference side Aldershot.
Other memorable scorelines…
03/10/1967 Bury 4-3 Scunthorpe
11/04/1972 Scunthorpe 3-0 Bury
18/04/1981 Bury 6-1 Scunthorpe
17/10/1995 Scunthorpe 4–0 Bury