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Match Reports

Report: Bristol Rovers 1-1 Iron

24 February 2018

Match Reports

Report: Bristol Rovers 1-1 Iron

24 February 2018

The Iron have drawn 1-1 against Bristol Rovers at The Memorial Stadium.

The Iron took a one goal advantage in the 61st minute when Funso Ojo cleverly played through Duane Holmes in the box, who slotted home for his side.

However, Rovers netted a 90th minute equaliser courtesy of a close range Ellis Harrison strike.

Manager Graham Alexander made four changes to his starting eleven for the game. Neal Bishop, Cameron Burgess, Cameron McGeehan and Tom Hopper all started for the Iron.

The first chance fell to the Iron when Josh Morris crossed in a free-kick towards Burgess, but the central defender angled his header over the crossbar.

That was shortly followed by a chance for Bristol Rovers. Rory Gaffney played it forward to Kyle Bennett, who struck from distance, with his effort ballooning over.

As the game quietened down, Bennett had another go in the 38th minute. He cut inside from the left, but his low strike went wide.

Immediately after half-time, the Iron came out firing. A Josh Morris corner was headed away to Ojo on the edge of the area and on the half volley, his effort deflected onto the crossbar.

The Iron then set Morris free on the left wing. He entered the box and as he went to strike the ball, a Rovers defender slid in to put the ball out for a corner.

After Matt Gilks was adjudged to have handled the ball outside of his box, the home side played a free-kick to Lee Brown 30-yards from goal. The full-back’s driven shot just went over.

However, the Iron got the game’s first goal in the 61st minute to take a 1-0 lead. Ojo played an incredible pass to pick out Holmes, who made a smart run into the area. The winger got a slight touch on the ball with his left foot to send it under Adam Smith and into the back of the net.

Gilks was then called into action when Bennett fired a powerful shot at him. The goalkeeper managed to palm it away from his goal.

The Iron could have doubled their lead ten minutes after their opening goal. McGeehan advanced forward with the ball, cutting it through to Tom Hopper, who saw his left footed strike stopped by Smith.

Although, the hosts could have had an equaliser not long after. Harrison tried to loop his header into the net after Gilks had rushed out, but captain Rory McArdle dropped back onto the line to clear the ball.

The Iron were then extremely unlucky not to grab their second of the game. A good passage of play between Townsend and Holmes saw Morris receive the ball with space on the right of the box. His shot took a big deflection, with Smith making a brilliant reaction save to keep the ball out.

As the game entered stoppage time, Bristol Rovers struck home an equaliser to make it 1-1. A cross from the right wing was converted home by Harrison from close range.

TEAM LINE-UPS
Bristol Rovers: Smith, Partington, Lockyer (c), Craig, Brown, Sercombe, Sinclair (Mensah, 70’), Lines, Bennett (Moore, 69’), Gaffney (Telford, 70’), Harrison.
Unused substitutes: Slocombe, Sweeney, Nichols, Clarke.

Scunthorpe United: Gilks, Wallace, Ojo, Morris, Bishop, Hopper, Holmes (Goode, 90’), Burgess, McArdle (c), Yates, McGeehan (Townsend, 75’).
Unused substitutes: Watson, Williams, Lewis, Adelakun, Sutton.

Attendance: 8,346 (227 away fans).


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