United’s reserves were beaten 4-3 by Middlesbrough reserves in the Final Third Development Cup at Winterton’s West Street.
There were six goals in an exciting opening half which saw Middlesbrough leading 4-2 at the break. The Iron improved in the second half but they could only pull one goal back in a second period in which they had the better chances.Reserves manager Andy Dawson fielded an experienced Scunthorpe team which included the likes of Deon Burton, Matt Sparrow and central defensive pairing Niall Canavan and David Mirfin.
Middlesbrough had the better start to the match and went ahead inside four minutes when Bryn Morris curled a free-kick from a central position past Pat Weaver and into the top corner.
Sparrow fed Hakeeb Adelakun down the right and his cross was palmed away before trialist Mitchell Rose hit a shot over for United.
The visitors doubled their lead when the Iron’s defence failed to clear a cross and Morris was on hand to finish neatly into the bottom corner.
Adelakun tried his luck after darting into the box, firing low and wide past the post before Sparrow controlled a pass with his chest in the centre, unleashing a volley which Coddington saved well.
Weaver was quick out of his goal to clear ahead of Brad Fewster, who was breaking through and the goalkeeper was soon on hand again to save Ryan Brobbel’s 18-yard effort, reacting well to collect the rebound.
The Iron pulled one back as Adelakun crossed from the right and Kyle Wootton, who signed a professional deal at the club recently, fired home convincingly before the half hour.
A dangerous Boro attack split open the Scunthorpe defence, with Yanic Wildschut coming inside his marker and smashing a low effort into the back of the net to make it 3-1.
Fewster nearly made it four within minutes as he smashed a volley into the side-netting and Mark Kitching was set through on the left before he pulled it back to Fewster, who fired Boro’s fourth into an open net.
Adelakun made it two for the Iron with the goal of the game, curling a fine shot from 20 yards past the helpless Coddington.
United improved in the opening moments of the second half but could not find an opening and Rose went closest when his effort was saved from 20 yards, the same outcome also came for Burdett when he tried his luck from a similar distance.
Burton flicked on Adelakun’s corner and Canavan nearly headed a third as he went close at the near-post.
Brobbel came close to grabbing a fifth for the visitors as he controlled and volleyed wide, with Burdett having another chance as the Iron pressed for a third.
The third eventually came after 71 minutes, as Adelakun’s shot was palmed off and Burton was first to tap in the final goal of the game as Boro saw out the win to advance in the competition.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Weaver, Hawkridge (Oliver-Stothard, 75), Mirfin, Canavan, Mosanya, Adelakun, Rose, Sparrow, Burdett, Burton, Wootton.
Substitutes not used: Mawson, Ledger, Cleminshaw, Watkis.
Middlesbrough: Coddington, Tinkler, Atkinson, Weledji, Bennett, Griffiths, Brobbel, Morris, Fewster (Burn, 88), Kitching (Jones, 80), Wildschut.
Substitutes not used: Maloney, Pears.