Report: Iron 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers

The Iron ended their seven matches without a win in all competitions, with a 1-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon at Glanford Park.

Kyle Wootton’s strike early in the first half sealed the win for Scunthorpe, when he latched onto a pass from Yasin Ben El-Mhanni, before beating Ryan Allsop. 

Stuart McCall made one change from the side that lost 2-0 to Luton Town on Boxing Day, as the returning Cameron Burgess replaced Charlie Goode after suspension. 

It was the Iron who got the game underway, and with just seconds on the clock, George Thomas had the first effort on target with a right-footed effort, which was well handled by Ryan Allsop.

Then, with eight minutes gone, Scunthorpe were ahead, as Kyle Wootton slotted home a forward pass from Yasin Ben El-Mhanni. The striker made no mistake with his right foot, firing beneath Allsop’s legs, to score his first league goal of the season. 

However, just minutes later, Wycombe thought they had levelled the score, when Alex Samuel’s first time shot deflected off Fred Onyedinma, but the referee overturned the decision, with his assistant signalling for offside against the attacker.

On 18 minutes, the visitors charged forward again. Joe Jacobson surged down the left, cut into the box and unleashed a shot. However, the full-back’s effort hit the side-netting.  

Not long after, Jak Alnwick was forced into action for the first time, when the advancing Jason McCarthy switched the ball back onto his left foot, before looking to curl a shot into the corner, but the goalkeeper was alert and made a smart stop down to his left. 

As the clock ticked past the half-hour mark, Funso Ojo got hold of possession in midfield and looked to feed Lee Novak on the run. However, just as the striker looked set to pounce on goal, the linesman raised his flag.

With five minutes to go before the half-time interval, Jacobson’s left-footed cross found the head of Samuel in the area, but he couldn’t generate enough on the header to challenge Alnwick, and the ‘keeper held on comfortably 

Then, seconds after, the Iron set off on a counter of their own. Novak flicked a pass towards Thomas, who had beat the offside trap and was baring down on goal. He looked poised with a right-footed finish. However, Allsop charged off his line quickly to close the angle and deny the attacker.

The fourth official then signalled two additional minutes at the end of the half, which was almost enough time for a Wycombe equaliser. 

A free-kick was floated into the area, which Scott Kashket met with a volley. He connected well, but the ball cannoned off the post, allowing Burgess to head clear, so Scunthorpe went into the break with a 1-0 advantage.

Wycombe got the second half restarted and,soon after, they were rewarded a free-kick on the edge of the area. Onyedinma stood over it and struck the ball low and hard right-footed, which took a deflection off Samuel and dropped just wide of the post. 

Two minutes later, Onyedinma tried his luck again from distance. He brought the ball under control, before cutting it onto his right-foot, and curling it towards the far corner, but Alnwick was equal to it. 

On 52 minutes, Alnwick produced a fantastic stop to deny Kashket from close range. The ball bounced around in the Iron box, before landing at the feet of Kashket, who shot first time, however Alnwick flew across to his right to make a fine reaction save. 

Shortly after, Scunthorpe made their first substitution of the game, with Andy Dales replacing Ben El-Mhanni. 

Moments later, the Iron nearly scored again. Borthwick-Jackson whipped in a free-kick from the right which Rory McArdle and Novak both attacked, but neither of them could get a touch on the ball to direct it goalwards. 

Adebayo Akinfenwa was then sent on by Wycombe in their attempt at getting back into the game. On 68 minutes, he rose highest in the penalty area to win a header from a corner, but his effort was wide of the mark. 

The Iron were then forced into an unfortunate substitution when Dales appeared to have got injured in a clash after coming onto the field and he had to be replaced by Clayton Lewis on 72 minutes. 

After 76 minutes, Lewis delivered a dangerous free-kick into the area, which was only partially cleared by the Wycombe defence. The ball dropped at the feet of Thomas, whose volley went over the crossbar. 

There were seven minutes added on at the end of the ninety, which saw the Iron produce a resolute defensive display to hold onto their lead and earn all three points at Glanford Park.

Scunthorpe are back in action away at Peterborough United on New Year’s Day.

TEAM LINE-UPS:
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick, Borthwick-Jackson, Ojo, Perch, Novak, Thomas, Ben El-Mhanni (Dales, 53) (Lewis, 72), Burgess, Sutton, McArdle (C), Wootton.
Substitutes not used: Flatt, Horsfield, Ugbo, Humphrys, Goode.

Wycombe Wanderers: Allsop, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, El-Abd (C), Kashket (Cowan-Hall, 71), Thompson, Onyedinma (Akinfenwa, 66), Freeman, Samuel (Williams, 89), McCarthy.
Substitutes not used: Yates, Jombati, Mackail-Smith, Morris. 

Referee: Darren Drysdale.

Attendance: 3,489.