Scunthorpe United’s Futsal team progressed once more to the next round of the Soccer AM Cup after seeing off their competition in Birmingham.
Prior to the Iron’s first game, their two opposition – Shrewsbury Town and Leicester City – locked horns in the opening fixture of the competition, with the latter side running out victorious in a 5-3 win.That meant that failing to win against United’s Futsal team, the Shrews would be out of the competition already.
Scunthorpe United Futsal 7-0 Shrewsbury Town Futsal
Following a good start, the Iron took the game to the opposition and forced an early yellow card before firing wide after two minutes.
Zach Meadows then broke the deadlock after six minutes following an assist from Oliver Burton, with Meadows again netting just two minutes later, spinning the defender inside out before slotting into the top right hand corner.
On ten minutes it was 3-0, with Matthew Welsh unleashing an exquisite shot into the top right hand corner.
Zach Shipman was then booked for a push and a mini-altercation, but he was soon on the scoresheet after 17 minutes, slotting home after impressive work from Welsh.
Two minutes after half time (22) it was 5-0 with Ryan Bonser slotting home a move which involved the entirety of the outfield team.
The Shrews had not tested United’s goal once in the entire game, but found themselves with the ball in the net after 24 minutes with a re-enactment of the hand of God; this time spotted by the officials. He was duly booked.
Bonser grabbed his second two minutes later after a square ball was pushed into his path by the keeper, before he was then booked a minute later.
Meanwhile, the rout was complete three minutes from time when Burton toe poked his strike low and hard into the corner of the net.
Scunthorpe United Futsal 4-1 Leicester City Futsal
With a longer break between their first game, the Foxes looked to take the game to the Iron early on in this all or nothing clash.
Inside four minutes, Iron keeper Keiran Phillips had already been involved more than in the whole of the first match, twice impressively saving to his right and keeping it scoreless.
Nevertheless the Iron found the breakthrough after six minutes, making the most of a ricochet and a fumble by the keeper to control and volley into the net.
On 14 minutes it was 2-0 to Scunthorpe, with a lot of the tension lifted. Ryan Challenger was credited with the goal, slotting the ball under the keeper from 3 yards after an assist from Meadows.
However, United were to concede less than 30 seconds later, lapsing at the back to allow the Leicester player to round the keeper and slot into an unguarded net.
The two goal advantage was restored three minutes later though when Challenger’s low drive which was just heading wide was diverted in by a Leicester City defender.
That would be the end of the scoring until the last ten seconds of the game and with the Foxes desperately looking to net two goals in the second half Welsh fired home from inside his own half with the goalkeeper forward to try and force the issue.
The two results mean that Scunthorpe United’s Futsal team progress to the next round of the competition, to be held at St George’s Park on either April 21 or April 28; to be confirmed pending the draw.