Report: Iron 0-0 Crawley Town

United drew 0-0 for the first time this season, as they were held by Crawley Town on Good Friday.

The Iron entered the match making three changes from the team that defeated Bradford City 10 days ago. Emmanuel Onariase came in for Jordan Clarke, with Alfie Beestin replacing Lewis Spence, while Mason O'Malley was in for Junior Brown.

The third minute saw Abo Eisa just about keep the ball in on the far side touchline before rolling it beyond two Crawley players and winning a free-kick. From the set-piece, Alex Gilliead sent the ball towards the far post, and it was kept in the danger area following a header from Onariase. Jacob Bedeau challenged with the ‘keeper for the second ball and was penalised as Glenn Morris hit the deck.

Just a minute later, Ryan Loft’s first touch down the right put him in space before he pinged a neat ball across to Devarn Green. He looked to take the ball inside the area, but it was cleared for an Iron throw.

With six played, Crawley's James Tilley found some space down the left to hang up a cross, which Mark Howard claimed before sending the ball forward with Eisa and Green looking to make a nuisance of themselves. However, the visitors managed to get it clear.

With 10 minutes gone, Teddy Howe took down Beestin’s ball and was fouled, but the referee played advantage as the ball was fed into Loft. His shot was blocked for a corner, with O'Malley's first set-play from the right cleared for another before the second was shepherded out of the area by the away team.

Two minutes later, Jordan Maguire-Drew headed over for the visitors at the far post after the Iron got bodies in the way to prevent an earlier shot.

Then, at the other end, Loft, Green and Eisa all interchanged, but when Eisa fed the ball back into Loft’s path, the forward couldn't keep his footing and the ball went through to Morris.

Soon after, Loft read a back-header towards the away goalkeeper Morris and almost nipped in ahead of the Crawley shotstopper.

With 20 minutes played, Howard gathered a free-kick from Maguire-Drew before quickly sending Green forward on the counter-attack. The visitors defended his threat on the left well to stop him progressing towards goal.

The 22nd minute saw a good move from the Iron which started with Howe and Gilliead before Beestin fed into Eisa. He and Loft combined, but the give-and-go was intercepted.

Just a minute later, Howe was fed into space down the right with his low cross into the box turned behind for a corner. Onariase won the header at the far post, but Josh Wright stopped the effort from going towards goal before clearing for a throw.

Onariase came across to clear for a Crawley corner in the 24th minute, which was cleated at the near post by O’Malley before Karacan blocked a shot. Maguire-Drew then half-volleyed over from the edge of the box.

There was a corner to the Iron in the 27th minute as Morris smashed a clearance off his own defender and out of play following a forward pass looking for Green. O’Malley’s corner searched for Bedeau’s run at the near post, but the visitors hooked the ball away.

The 34th minute saw superb work from Gilliead as he first turned in between two Crawley players before receiving the ball back from Loft. His left-footed shot on the edge of the area was blocked though.

Just a minute later, Crawley had the ball in the net from the following corner, but a flicked-on header was penalised as Beestin came crashing to the floor.

With 39 minutes gone, Gilliead worked the ball to Eisa on the left before he got towards the goal line. His cross was turned behind for a corner. Then, Bedeau’s header from Gilliead’s corner was blocked on the line before Loft’s powerful follow-up was also diverted away from goal by a Crawley body. It proved the last moment of note in the first period.

The Iron broke quickly following a shot which was blocked by Onariase, two minutes into the second period. Eisa rode three challenges before being dispossessed. No foul was given either.

On 51 minutes, Jack Powell attempted to drag Eisa back, but the Iron attacker was too quick. Advantage was played and the Iron soon had a free-kick on the right channel. O’Malley’s set-piece was whipped to the far post towards Onariase, but he couldn't angle his header on target.

Four minutes later, Howard’s kick was flicked into Gilliead’s path by Loft. Gilliead’s shot was blocked before Loft’s went wide for a corner following a deflection.

Crawley looked to up the pressure and Howard came through bodies to punch clear a free-kick into the area in the 68th minute.

There was a double Scunthorpe change in the 69th minute as Beestin and Jem Karacan were replaced by John McAtee and Spence.

Straight after, Loft brought the ball to the edge of the box and looked to angle a shot across goal, but the effort was blocked by a defender.

Then, Green was fed down the right and put in an inviting low cross towards Loft, who had to chase the ball to the left channel. He looked to work with Eisa, but in the end it resulted in a goal kick.

In the 73rd minute, Powell blazed a long range effort wide of the target for Crawley after the Iron initially blocked a shot inside the box.

Scunthorpe then broke away with Green floating a cross into Eisa, but it was headed behind for a corner just in front of him. Gilliead’s corner searched for Onariase at the far post, but his header went off-target.

Howard then beat away an effort across goal from Powell from the right side.

The 86th minute saw a quick break from the Iron as Eisa skipped beyond a number of bodies coming in for the tackle. He looked to slip in Loft, but the pass was too heavy for his run.

With just minutes remaining, Olufela Olomola came on for Loft as United looked to get some fresh legs into the attack.

Three were three minutes of added time given but neither side could break the deadlock, with the closest any came happening in the first of those minutes, as Howard produced a one-handed save to beat away an effort from the left side of the area.

United return to action on Tuesday night when they visit Carlisle United (6.30pm kick-off).

IRON: Howard, Bedeau, Onariase, Gilliead, Loft (Olomola, 87), Eisa, Green, Beestin (McAtee, 69), Karacan (Spence, 69), Howe, O'Malley.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Watson, Hippolyte, Rowe, Jessop.

CRAWLEY: Morris, Francomb, McNerney, Craig, Tsaroulla, J Wright, Powell, Hessenthaler, Tilley, Maguire-Drew (Matthews, 65), Nichols.

CRAWLEY SUBS NOT USED: Nelson, Tunnicliffe, Davies, Sesay, Allarakhia.