The Iron have been beaten 2-0 by Gillingham this afternoon in Sky Bet League One.
Second-half goals from Tom Eaves and Dean Parrett gave the Kent side the win at Glanford Park. Eaves could have scored another goal, but he missed his penalty kick in the 79th minute.
There was one change to the team line-up that lost at Shrewsbury in the Emirates FA Cup last weekend. Returning from suspension, James Perch replaced Andy Dales.
The first sighting of goal went to Gillingham’s way when Josh Parker got down the right-side and played a low ball inside the six-yard box. Eaves slid at the far post, but his close range attempt went wide of the left post.
In the 11th minute, the referee showed his first yellow card of the game when Parrett made a late foul on Matthew Lund by the halfway line.
Lund was then involved in the Iron’s first big chance. He combined with Josh Morris on the edge of the box, but the midfielder’s curling effort was straight at Tomas Holy.
The Gills then advanced down the left-wing with full-back Connor Ogilvie. His cross was aimed at Eaves, who made a run towards the front post, but his toe-poke was weak and Jak Alnwick comfortably collected the ball.
Another chance fell to the visitors when Parrett struck a low effort from outside of the box, but both Perch and Charlie Goode went to ground to make a solid block. The ball came back into the box moments later with Mark Byrne’s header bouncing wide of the target.
Thirty-two minutes in, the Iron intercepted a Gillingham pass and broke forward with Lee Novak. The forward’s pass to Kyle Wootton was cut out and went straight back to Novak, but his strike was saved by Holy.
Wootton then had a chance not long after, but his header was calmly stopped by the Gillingham goalkeeper again.
Five minutes before the break, Goode was booked for a clattering foul on Elliot List. The referee played advantage and Parker closed in on goal, but solid defending from Rory McArdle diverted the ball away as the Gillingham player looked set to shoot.
Perch came close to opening the scoring from distance with a drilled shot, however it just went over the crossbar.
After the interval, both Perch and captain McArdle were booked for late fouls on Parrett.
Gillingham then took the lead in the 54th minute. Parrett drilled a shot at goal, which cannoned off the right post before the away side got the ball back into the box for Eaves, who slotted it past Alnwick.
There was nearly an instant response from the Iron, but Morris’ strike flew over the bar.
Not long after, it was 2-0 to Gillingham. Parrett chested down the ball inside the area and volleyed it into the left of the net.
Gillingham soon came looking for a third. Ogilvie worked his way into the box and cut the ball onto his right foot, which deflected wide of the goal.
List then sent Eaves through on the left of the box and the Gillingham forward flashed a shot just past the right post.
With 12 minutes left, Gillingham won themselves a penalty after Dales fouled Parrett inside the Iron’s box. However, Eaves’ sent his spot-kick over the bar, keeping the score at 2-0.
Looking for a way back into the match, Morris curled a fantastic cross into the box towards Ike Ugbo but after the ball bounced off a Gillingham defender, his header sailed over.
Just before stoppage time, Goode powered his way through the Gillingham backline with the ball rolling to Morris, but his effort crashed against the side netting.
The Iron couldn’t grab a goal back, with Gillingham winning by two goals to nil.
TEAM LINE-UPS:
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick, Borthwick-Jackson, Lund (Ugbo, 61’), Morris, Perch, Novak, Thomas (Dales, 70’), Goode, Burgess, McArdle (c), Wootton.
Unused substitutes: Flatt, Horsfield, Humphrys, Ben El-Mhanni, Sutton.
Gillingham: Holy, Ehmer (Lacey, 68’), Zakuani (c), Parrett (Bingham, 81’), Eaves, Fuller, Parker, List, Oldaker, Byrne, Ogilvie.
Unused substitutes: Hadler, O’Neill, Garmston, Charles-Cook, Rees.
Referee: Graham Salisbury.
Attendance: 3,054.