Report: Iron 3-3 Oxford United

The Iron mounted a fightback to draw 3-3 with Oxford United at Glanford Park after being three nil down afte 55 minutes. Jordan Clarke started the comeback via a touch from Matthew Lund, with George Thomas netting his first goal for the club and Charlie Goode also adding to the tally to complete the scoring.

Stuart McCall made three changes from the team that started in the loss against Plymouth Argyle last time out. Cameron Burgess and Lee Novak came back into the side replacing Rory McArdle and Ike Ugbo, whilst Lund also returned following a knee injury in place of Stephen Humphrys. 

Oxford got the game underway at Glanford Park and a cagey opening five minutes followed until the U’s found themselves ahead after nine minutes. James Henry latched onto a throughball from Jamie Mackie inside the area and the midfielder then struck the ball first time with his right foot and fired into the roof of the net via a deflection.

Scunthorpe looked to hit back immediately. A mis-hit clearance from the Oxford defence dropped to Ryan Colclough on the edge of the area, who lined up to shoot first time on the volley, but couldn’t quite connect to direct his effort on target.

Then, after a quarter of an hour, the Iron won a free-kick on the outside of the box after James Perch was hacked down. George Thomas stepped up and curled it over the wall, however the ball went just past the post. 

A few minutes later, Oxford burst forward through top scorer Gavin Whyte. He unleashed a shot from distance, but Jak Alnwick held on comfortably. Whyte was then at it again, when he made a run into the box on the right, however he dragged his effort well wide. 

On the 19th minute, a well worked corner routine from the Iron found Charlie Goode, who headed back across the face of goal towards Lund. The midfielder volleyed the ball goalwards, but Simon Eastwood did well to claim. 

The Iron then made a substitution as Ike Ugbo came on to replace James Horsfield. Meanwhile, Colclough continued to threaten down the left flank and had Eastwood scrambling after he delivered a deep cross towards the back post in the 25th minute which nearly looped in. 

Ten minutes before half-time, the Iron won a corner. Cameron Burgess rose highest in the area to connect, but headed wide. The fourth official indicated four minutes of added time at the end of the first half and as the referee blew to signal the end of the first 45 minutes, Oxford took a slender lead going into the break. 

There was a half-time substitution for Scunthorpe with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson coming off and Lewis Butroid coming on. Then, as the game restarted for the second half, the Iron came out attacking. Jordan Clarke raced down the right before he sent in a cross towards the oncoming Lee Novak. The striker got there ahead of his marker and flicked the ball with his head, but glanced the ball wide. 

However, just as Scunthorpe were starting to get back into the match, Oxford turned over possession and through a quick counter attack doubled their advantage courtesy of Cameron Brannagan. Henry was the provider for the U’s this time as his low cross was converted by Brannagan in the six-yard-box to mark the 3,000 EFL goal scored by Oxford United. 

In the 55th minute, it was three for the visitors. A corner from the right was played in and Curtis Nelson bundled it home despite the best efforts from the Iron defence to clear the danger. 

On the hour, the Iron were able to pull a goal back to make it 3-1 when they won a free-kick wide on the right. The set-piece was taken short and laid back to Clarke on the edge of the area, who unleashed a low drive which nestled into the back of the net following a touch from Lund which seemed to wrong-foot the 'keeper. 

Just four minutes later, Scunthorpe scored again. George Thomas fantastically curled the ball over the wall and into the top corner from a free-kick on the outside of the box to net his first ever goal for the club. 

The match was then turned on its head when the Iron got an equaliser in the 66th minute, scoring three goals in just eight minutes. Goode slammed the ball home with his left foot after an initial header was cleared off the line. The defender reacted first to make it 3-3 and set up an exciting end the game.  

Scunthorpe continued to knock on the door after the equaliser. Colclough advanced forward and fired in a shot, but the ball went just wide of the post. In the 78th minute, Butroid nearly marked his appearance from the bench with a screamer. He controlled a high ball, before setting himself up for a volley which flew inches over the crossbar, narrowly missing the top corner.

It was a frantic final ten minutes when Lund almost put the Iron ahead after a corner from the left was headed back from Goode. The midfielder ran onto the ball and diverted a header towards goal, but it just dropped wide. 

The fourth official added five extra minutes on at the end of the game, but neither side could find the winning goal. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic comeback by the Iron to earn a point from three nil down. 

Scunthorpe are next in action when they face Burton Albion in the first round of the FA Cup at Glanford Park. 

TEAM LINE-UPS: 
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick, Clarke, Borthwick-Jackson (Butroid, 45), Lund, Horsfield (Ugbo, 20), Perch, Novak (C), Thomas, Goode, Burgess, Colclough.
Substitutes not used: Flatt, Dales, Lewis, McArdle, Wootton.  

Oxford United: Eastwood, Dickie, Nelson, Brannagan, Holmes (Browne, 72), Ruffels, Mousinho (C), Whyte, Henry (Hanson, 65), Mackie, McMahon. 
Substitutes not used:Mitchell, Garbutt, Smith, Raglan, Long.

Referee: Paul Marsden. 

Attendance: 3,665.