A youthful United side slipped to a defeat in the final of the Lincolnshire Senior Cup, as they were beaten 2-0 by Gainsborough Trinity at the Northolme.
The Iron had chances throughout, but were frustrated by an impressive display from hosts' stopper Jon Hedge.Scunthorpe lined up with Ben Ledger between the sticks, a back four of Lewis McMichael, Lewis Butroid, Riley Baker and Isaac Assenso. There was a midfield five of Matt Stockill, Sonny Shilling, James Dean-Atkinson, Levi Sutton and Noel Burdett, with Jack Dyche playing as the lone striker.
United made a bright start to the game, and forced Town 'keeper Hedge into a save early on. Stockill picked up the ball just outside the area, before unleashing a dipping shot, which Hedge had to parry away.
20 minutes in, Stockill almost broke the deadlock once more. This time the midfielder drove a shot towards the top right hand corner of Hedge's goal, but like on the previous occasion, the Iron man was denied by a fine stop from the Trinity 'keeper.
United were firmly on top, but continued to be frustrated by Hedge in the Trinity goal. He firstly pushed away a Dyche effort, before Burdett fired over from close range. Burdett was then himself denied by Hedge, as he went for goal from just inside the area.
Despite their dominance, the Iron almost fell behind, 35 minutes into the opening period. Gainsborough defender Jake Picton sent a looping header towards the far corner of Ledger's goal, but fortunately enough, there was a little too much elevation on the attempt.
However, in spite of the pressure which United continued to apply right up to the half time whistle, they couldn't find a breakthrough and went in level at the interval.
Shortly after the restart, Ledger was forced into a save. Gainsborough's Lewis Bembrose twisted and turned in the box, before hitting a low shot which Ledger got down at his near post to save.
The Iron soon regained the control they had in the first half though, and went close again, this time through Shilling. After some good work down the right flank from Burdett, Shilling was picked out at the back post, but he could only poke the ball wide.
However, that control was in vain as the hosts took the lead ten minutes into the second half. After barely being on the pitch a minute, substitute David Taylor broke through the United defence and slotted the ball neatly past Ledger into far corner.
The Iron immediately went looking for an equaliser, and they almost got one when Butroid arrowed an effort towards the far right corner. The full-back cut inside onto his right foot and curled the shot goalwards, but it was tipped away by Hedge.
The attacks from the visitors were becoming more and more frequent, with Sutton being the next man to test Hedge. The United midfielder's shot was sweetly struck but, like on many occasions throughout the game, Hedge was the hero for the hosts.
The heroics continued to come from Hedge as, after denying Sutton previously, he superbly kept out a Dyche volley from close range.
Like in the first half, the hosts then went and found the back of the net against the run of play. Midfielder Bembrose looked to round Ledger, before he was brought down by the Iron stopper, leaving referee Darren Drysdale with little choice but to point to the spot.
Jamie Yates then stepped up, and emphatically dispatched the penalty into the top left corner, sending Ledger the wrong way in the process.
Despite the setback, United remained positive with their play and were inches away from finding a quick response. Butroid, like he'd done previously, cut inside onto his right foot, but this time he went even closer and hit the inside of the post.
The chances continued to come for the visitors. Three minutes from time, substitute Leslie Sackey drove into the box and then hit a low shot, which Hedge brilliantly stopped.
Shortly after, referee Drysdale brought an end to proceedings. On another night it could have been a very different story, if not for some heroics from Trinity 'keeper Hedge.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Gainsborough Trinity: Hedge, Mann (Pearson 80), Edwards, Bull, Douglas, Picton, Rigby (Hayes 65), Davis, Bembrose, Wilkinson (Taylor 55), Yates.
Scunthorpe United: Ledger, McMichael, Butroid, Stockhill (Sackey 82), Baker, Assenso, Shilling, Dean-Atkinson, Dyche, Sutton, Burdett.
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