The Iron’s Under-18 side were defeated 2-0 away by league leaders Grimsby Town in their latest Youth Alliance League game on Saturday.
It was a ‘game of two halves’ really with the Mariners, who have lost just once all season, dominating the first period following the opening 15 minutes, while Scunthorpe were well on top during the second 45 but couldn’t find the net.
The first ten minutes saw the two teams finding each other out, with plenty of challenges going in from both sides. Scunthorpe forced a couple of early corners, which came to nothing though.
After five minutes, Joe Busby went down following a heavy collision and play was stopped for around five minutes but he got up and managed to carry on.
On the 10 minute mark, a throughball was played through to a Mariners striker, who collided with goalkeeper Sam Riches, who was brave, and the game was stopped for a further four minutes.
The hosts had the first real chance not long after as a shot on goal forced a good save from Riches to keep the ball out.
Scunthorpe’s first opportunity came in the 20th minute through a well-worked move, as Louis Collins shot from the edge of the box. Minutes later, the ball dropped to Harry Jessop 25 yards out on the volley but it was saved by the goalkeeper.
In the 35th minute, Jessop again had a chance which he struck over the crossbar.
For the final spell of the opening period, Grimsby had a string of chances but Riches made a couple of good saves to keep them at bay.
Harry Baker cleared one off the line and then on 44 minutes the opening goal came as a shot was blocked by Charlie Barks and bounced off Riches’ back into the back of the net.
United were on the front foot in the second half after a change in formation, with Collins getting a shot on goal after 46 minutes which was blocked.
Scunthorpe started to play out from the back and played the better football at this stage. On 57 minutes, Collins again received the ball after running in behind down the left but his shot went well wide.
Three minutes later, a good ball by substitute Joey Dawson found Collins, whose shot was blocked.
In the 67th minute, a well-worked corner was pulled back to the edge of the box for Jack Harrison, whose left-footed shot was cleared off the line.
A minute later, another corner saw Jessop head over the crossbar, as he couldn’t keep his effort down.
In the 70th minute, Grimsby had a counter-attack but their shot went wide.
Five minutes after, the Iron had a good shout for a penalty denied as Aidan Train made a good run down the left and his cross was blocked by a Mariners elbow, but the referee played on.
Scunthorpe continued to push forward in the closing stages as they seeked an equaliser, but were caught on the counter-attack on 86 minutes and the Mariners scored their second to clinch it.
Overall, it was a good performance, especially in the second-half where United dominated the game.
The performance will give confidence going into next week’s Youth Alliance Cup quarter-final away at Blackpool.
TEAM: Riches, Baker, Train, Harrison, Barks (Dawson, 45), Morfoot, L Collins, Shrimpton (D Gallimore, 62), Okafor, Busby, Jessop.
SUBS NOT USED: L Colclough, Crosher, Wilson.