Report: Goole Town 2-2 Iron Under-23s

United’s Under-23s side came from behind to score through a trialist and Joey Dawson to draw 2-2 at Goole Town in their first friendly of pre-season.

It was a positive start for the Iron, who advanced down both wings. Yasin Ben El-Mhanni looked to have been brought down during one but no foul was given, while Omar Sanyang’s cross was cleared.

The first chance arrived on 11 minutes as an Iron corner was played short and eventually found Jai Rowe, who drove towards the goal line before his low cross was collected by the ‘keeper.

Three minutes later, the hosts took the lead. After moving the ball onto his right foot, a Goole midfielder curled the ball into the area, with a side-footed volley looping over Adam Kelsey and into the net.

On 19 minutes, John McAtee was forced out to the right, but worked space to keep the attack going, with an eventual long range shot spilled by the ‘keeper but gathered at the second attempt with Reon Potts lurking.

Soon after, Adam Kelsey made a fine save after rushing out of his goal to close the angle on a Goole striker following a throughball. The effort wouldn’t have counted though, as he was offside.

There was also very nearly a second for Goole as their number four weaved his way into space on the edge of the box, steering a shot low towards goal which went just past the post.

On 30 minutes, McAtee peeled away from his marker from a deep cross by George Hornshaw, but couldn’t direct his header on target.

Two minutes later, from a corner, Charlie Barks hit the framework of the goal with a powerful header. Rowe had also made a good run to get to the ball.

Mason O’Malley and Ben El-Mhanni combined with a left-winged cross dropping to Pugh on the edge of the box on 35 minutes, with his controlled shot taking a deflection, looping over the bar.

The initial corner was cleared, with O’Malley picking up the ball and finding McAtee in the box. His shot was blocked before Ben El-Mhanni sent his shot over the bar.

Potts then worked his way into space after patient build-up play from the Iron involving Rowe. The shot came in from 20-yards with a defender throwing himself at it to block. Strong handball appeals were also turned down.

There was a raft of changes at the half-time interval as Russ Wilcox got game time into his squad, some of the club’s academy players and examined some trialists.

The hosts doubled the lead straight after the break though, following a move down the right, with a slight touch taking the ball into the corner of the net.

The Iron pulled a goal back on 53 minutes as Trialist 17 retrieved a deep cross on the right. The ball was sent back into the area with Under-16s academy player Oliver Lobley having his effort saved. Trialist 15 then put in the rebound from close range.

Not long afterwards, a low, deflected strike from Trialist 17 caused the Goole ‘keeper some problems, but he parried before gathering at the second attempt.

There was then almost an equaliser as Trialist 17 peeled away from his marker, taking the ball beyond the goalkeeper, but a last-ditch tackle put the ball behind for a corner.

Trialist 16 took the corner, with Barks rising highest to win the header, sending the ball over the bar.

In the 67th minute, Dawson restored parity for the Iron, playing a dink into the box for Raynner Silva, who controlled and calmly played the ball back to the midfielder who smashed into the roof of the net from 18 yards.

In the ascendency, United nearly took the lead for the first time via a carbon copy of the equaliser. Silva played provider for Dawson, but his effort from inside the box was well saved by the ‘keeper.

With 15 minutes left, two trialists almost combined to give the Iron the lead. From the right, Trialist 16 cut onto his left foot and played in a brilliant cross for Trialist 17 who couldn’t quite reach the header.

A minute after, Tom Collins was tested in the Scunthorpe goal with a speculative effort, which he saved comfortably.

Trialist 16 then played to Trialist 17, this time via a free-kick, with the side-footed volley from just inside the area deflected wide for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Dawson was held and hauled to the ground. No penalty was given, but the Iron won the header from the cross, seeing the ‘keeper save the effort.

With the clock ticking down and five minutes left to go, brilliant play from the Iron saw Dawson ping a ball over the defender for Harry Baker to run onto. He drove into the box with a neat first touch before checking back to Silva, whose low effort was blocked.

There was then a disallowed goal for the Iron as Trialist 16 looked to have rolled the ball into the net after driving forward and cutting onto his left foot. Trialist 15 made the neat run on the crossover to put off the ‘keeper and was flagged offside.

First-half team: Kelsey, Rowe, Cummings, Barks, O’Malley, Pugh, Hornshaw, Sanyang, McAtee, Ben El-Mhanni, Potts.

Second-half team: Kelsey (Collins, 60), Baker, Cummings (Chadli, 63), Barks, Lobley, Dawson, Silva, D. Gallimore, Trialist 15, Trialist 16, Trialist 17.