Report: Iron U18s 2-4 Mansfield Town U18s

Harry Jessop and Harry Baker were on target as the Iron’s Under-18s were defeated 4-2 at home by Mansfield Town.

The academy side were without four of their players, with Joey Dawson missing with a shin injury, Levi Gallimore missing through illness and goalkeepers Tom Collins and Ben Crosher out with thumb and wrist problems, respectively. Under-16s goalkeeper Jake Balme was in goal, while there was also a place on the bench for Harry Lewis, who is also at the same level.

Following the game, Academy Manager Tony Daws said: "It's quite strange because we've just said 'well done' to the lads. It seems really strange because we've lost the game 4-2, but the performance was excellent. 

"Ultimately that's what it is all about for us as academy staff. The lads are gutted that they've lost because it was a big game and it was one of our games in hand. It was probably one of the best performances of the season.

"We've created chance after chance and dominated the game in large spells. We've conceded two goals before half time where our two centre-halves clashed heads, one having to come off and that's caught us cold."

After a slow start in terms of goal mouth action, it was the Iron who registered their first attempt after seven minutes. Harry Baker found space down the right channel to send in a brilliant cross aimed at Harry Jessop, who headed the ball over the bar from close range.

Mansfield took the lead in the 15th minute as the ball was swung in from a corner and only half cleared. The ball was then delivered back into a dangerous area and directed into the net by Fisher.

Two minutes later, Mansfield won a free-kick 25 yards from goal. The ball beat the wall but was gathered comfortably by Jake Balme.

On 19 minutes, a dangerous passage of play saw Jessop create an opening to shoot, which was parried by the Mansfield shotstopper. The ball found its way to Baker, who shot from distance, firing wide of the left top corner.

The 22nd minute saw the Iron float in a corner towards the back post, which was headed goalwards by Charlie Barks before being cleared away by a yellow shirt.

Five minutes later, a mix-up at the back for Mansfield put Jessop through on goal. The striker angled a driven shot towards the bottom right corner but it was blocked and turned away by a Mansfield defender.

With 35 minutes gone, the Iron had shouts of a penalty waved away by the referee as a shot going goalwards was blocked by a Mansfield defender.

A minute later, Jessop equalised for the Iron as he found space just inside the box and fired beyond the keeper.

Mansfield went back ahead on 43 minutes though, shortly after United lost Kemp to concussion, as the ball was finished from close range by Ingram following a square ball by Molyneux.

The visitors then made it three on the stroke of half-time as the ball was worked through to Ingram, who took the ball around Balme and finished from a tight angle. 

After 50 minutes, a long ball forward forward found Jessop in behind on the left, who cut it back to Raynner Silva. The midfielder aimed for the bottom right corner but the Mansfield keeper managed to tip it around the post. 

From the resultant corner, Finley Shrimpton appeared to be brought down, but play continued as the ball rolled to Charlie Barks. His stinging drive from 18-yards was palmed away though.

With 53 minutes played, the Iron went short to Luca Chadli from a corner. The player whipped in a deep cross which was headed towards goal by Dan Gallimore. The ball was then cleared off the line by a yellow shirt.

As Scunthorpe tried to fight their way back into the game, Barks met a header following a cross, sending the ball across goal, with Jessop then heading wide of the target.

Then, the Mansfield keeper scuffed his goal kick to towards the edge of the box. The Iron had a flurry of shots which were blocked. The ball ended up at the feet of Shrimpton, who shot from range and just missed the target.

Nevertheless, the next goal came Mansfield’s way as they made it 4-1. The Iron were caught on the counter attack as the ball went down the right, with a low shot across goal by Ingram going in off the far post for his hat-trick.

With 61 minutes gone, Oliver Lobley sent a free kick from the half way line deep into the Mansfield box which Barks headed off target. 

Ten minutes later, Scunthorpe pulled one back as Baker intercepted a loose Mansfield pass just inside the attacking half. He drove forward with the ball before unleashing a piledriver from the edge of the box into the top corner.

After 75 minutes, the Iron won a corner which was swung into a dangerous area. The ball was only half cleared to Cameron Wilson on the edge of the box, who fired a shot just off target.

Then, nine minutes later, Wilson cut onto his left foot after being slipped the ball, with his low shot saved well by the goalkeeper.

With just a few minutes remaining, the ball was won in the middle of the park by Shrimpton and ended up at the feet of Gallimore. Gallimore shifted it out of his feet before trying his luck from 25 yards out, seeing his shot fly over.

IRON U18s: Balme, Baker, Lobley, Shrimpton, Barks, Kemp (Silva, 42), Wilson, D Gallimore, Wilkinson (Virgo, 67), Jessop, Chadli (Lewis, 75).

MANSFIELD TOWN U18s: Boyle, King, Adams, Tomlin, Cooper, Saunders, Lawson, Hill, Ingram, Fisher, Molyneaux.

MANSFIELD TOWN U18s SUBS: Campbell, Caine, Davies, Bouch, Pitts.