Report: Iron XI 4-2 Huddersfield Town XI

An Iron XI defeated a Huddersfield Town side 4-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Glanford Park on Tuesday afternoon.

The first effort of the afternoon went to the visitors, with Jon Flatt making an impressive save following a shot from the edge of the area. 

United took the lead on four minutes, through Olufela Olomola. The Iron deal with the subsequent Terriers corner from that earlier effort, and Yasin Ben El-Mhanni shuffled the ball to George Hornshaw, who brilliantly found Hammill. The former Terriers winger drove forward down the left and floated in a cross, which Ben El-Mhanni flicked on and Olomola tapped home.

Ten minutes in, there was a neat move by the Iron down the right-hand-side, with Hornshaw and Jordan Hallam interchanging nicely before Clayton Lewis, who started the move, raced onto a throughball which was slightly too heavy. 

In the 16th minute, there was another fine save from Flatt, as a right-winged cross was fired into the target man, who powered a low header goalwards, only for Flatt to push the effort around the post.  

On 22 minutes, there was almost a mix-up at the back for the visitors as Ben El-Mhanni’s throughball to Hallam looked to have been intercepted. Hallam retrieved the ball and shaped to shoot, but the defence handled the situation well. 

Two minutes after, Ben El-Mhanni drove at the defence, beating three players before interchanging with Hornshaw on the right wing. Ben El-Mhanni’s follow-up cross was then cleared. 

Then, in the 25th minute, Hallam fired over the bar from 12 yards with his left foot after Olomola put pressure on the Terriers defence to knock down into his path following Hornshaw’s cross. 

Two minutes later, a lucky ricochet put the visitors three-on-one, with Hornshaw doing brilliantly to chase back and slide in to block the shot from 18-yards.

The 31st minute saw a disallowed goal for the Iron as Trialist A fed the ball into Hallam. He sent Trialist A into the area with the return, shrugging off the defender and slotting home, but a foul was given by the referee. 

Soon after, good play from the Iron again was the ball won back 35-yards from goal. Olomola shaped to shoot but instead fed Hallam, who fired across goal and wide. He was also flagged marginally offside.  

The visiting side levelled the scores in the 35th minute. Play down the right saw the player cut inside and feed a square ball to the edge of the box, where a deflected effort nestled into the net.  

Just a minute later, there was another chance for Huddersfield as a goalbound effort towards the corner was blocked well following neat control inside the penalty area.

In the 38th minute, there was a fantastic save by the visiting goalkeeper as he pushed a Hammill effort around the post. Hammill picked up the ball on the left corner of the area before curling an effort towards the corner of the net.

Byron Webster rose highest from the resulting corner, floated in by Clayton Lewis, but the central defender headed wide of the target.

Three minutes later, there was good play from the Iron as Ben El-Mhanni spun his way around two players before fizzing in a pass to Olomola. He found Hornshaw on the right, who saw his inviting cross cleared for a corner. 

Right at the start of the second-half, Scunthorpe went back ahead. A composed James Perch fizzed the ball into Trialist A, he turned and drove forward - only tackled inside the area, but the ball dropped for Hallam to drill a left-footed shot across goal and into the corner.  

On 57 minutes, there was a good save from the visiting goalkeeper to deny Hammill with a right-footed curling effort from the edge of the box. He parried the ball back into play, with the Iron still on the attack.  

A minute later, Lewis came close as he let rip from 35-yards, with the effort seeing the ‘keeper scramble across to his left. The shot cleared the crossbar by a matter of inches. 

With an hour on the clock, there was chance for the visitors as an effort from Huddersfield’s number seven went across goal and wide of the target. 

In the 62nd minute, there was an equaliser for the visitors as the Terriers’ right-back cut onto his left foot from 20-yards and fired the ball into the right corner of the net.

There was then a chance for Huddersfield to take the lead as they neatly worked the ball into the area before setting it back to the 18-yard line. The low shot came in, with the ball deflected wide. 

On 67 minutes, there was another Iron goal disallowed, and this time it was Olomola denied. An inviting cross from the right found the frontman unmarked, with his bullet header hitting the net. However, offside was given. 

Five minutes later, Hammill won and took a free-kick on the left side of the area, whipping the ball towards the top corner, but the effort just cleared the far post. 

The 74th minute saw Olomola regain Scunthorpe’s lead. A throw-in found Hammill on the left. He danced his way onto his left foot and superbly planted the cross on Olomola’s head, who this time wasn’t denied by the offside flag. 

Four minutes after, there was a fourth for the Iron and it was Trialist A on the scoresheet. He received a short free-kick from the left from Hammill before controlling from 25-yards and drilling towards the bottom left-hand corner.

A minute later, Ben El-Mhanni was denied an immediate fifth as he drove down the right before cutting onto his left foot and forcing the ‘keeper to parry the effort.

That proved the last chance of an entertaining encounter.

IRON: Flatt, Webster, Perch, Lewis, Ben El-Mhanni, Olomola, Hornshaw, Hallam, Butroid, Hammill, Trialist A.