A Josh Morris wonder goal late in the game gave the Iron all three points, as they defeated Northampton Town 2-1 at Sixfields Stadium.
Kevin van Veen had given Scunthorpe the lead midway through the first half, but Northampton hit back through Alex Revell.It looked as though that would be how it stayed, but Morris once again came up with the goods - as he has done on many occasions already this season.
United made one change to the team which started the game against Bury last weekend, with Duane Holmes taking the place of Neal Bishop.
The two sides made tentative openings to the match, with the first real meaningful chance not arriving until the 12th minute. It fell to the visitors, but van Veen placed his near post header just wide, after Holmes had cleverly stood the ball up for the Dutchman.
It didn’t take long for things to catch light however, as drama would soon ensue in the Scunthorpe penalty area. Luke Daniels did tremendously not once, but twice, to deny goalbound Cobblers efforts, before skipper Stephen Dawson heroically cleared the ball off the goal-line.
Just a matter of minutes later, van Veen planted another header on goal and this time it found the back of the net. Much in the same vein as his last strike against Peterborough, the forward was found by Dawson from the right, and he then put the ball out of the reach of Adam Smith in the Northampton goal.
However, the hosts responded well and got themselves back level shortly ahead of the break. Northampton’s build-up play initially was neat and tidy, with the ball eventually finding Matty Taylor on the left flank. The winger then looked up and picked out Revell at the near post, and the striker then powered his header home, despite the best efforts of Daniels.
Revell’s equaliser was the last action of the opening period, with both sides going in level at the interval.
The hosts’ turnaround was so very nearly completed just prior to the hour mark when Lewin Nyatanga met a corner from the left and crashed his header back where it came from. United had a combination of Dawson and post to thank though, as the ball rebounded away from danger. Graham Alexander’s side then subsequently broke in numbers, turning defence into attack brilliantly, but Dawson slightly overhit his pass to Holmes, and the attack fizzled out.
As the match entered into the final 25 minutes, the away side certainly had the impetus. Van Veen then exchanged passes with Dawson on the edge of the penalty area, however United’s number 10 could only manage to drag his effort wide.
By this point the Iron were really starting to turn the screw, and they went the closest they’d been to finding the elusive breakthrough when Morris rattled the crossbar from a free kick, 25 yards from goal.
Holmes was becoming central to pretty much all of Scunthorpe’s attacks and, with eight minutes left on the clock, the American decided to go for goal himself. His stinging drive from the corner of the penalty area forced Smith into a spillage, but the Cobblers’ goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt.
The pressure though did finally pay off, and there were no prizes for guessing who got it, as Morris cracked home his 18th goal of a remarkable season. When the winger got possession there seemed to be little on, but he soon changed that as he unleashed an unstoppable left-footed rocket into the top corner of the goal, to send the travelling section of Iron supporters into hysterics.
The question then was whether the away side could then close out proceedings and, despite a barrage of lofted balls into the Scunthorpe penalty area, Alexander’s side held out for a crucial three points.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Northampton Town: Smith, Buchanan, Diamond, Boateng (McCourt, 79), Richards, Revell, Hoskins, O'Toole, Nyatanga, Taylor, Eardley.
Substitutes not used: Cornell, Hanley, McDonald, Beautyman, Wylde, Iaciofano.
Scunthorpe United: Daniels, Wallace, Dawson, van Veen (Toney, 80), Morris, Hopper (Davies, 63), Toffolo, Mantom, Holmes (Crooks, 86), Goode, Clarke.
Substitutes not used: Anyon, Williams, Adelakun, Sutton.
Attendance: 5,649 (499 away).
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