Report: Iron 2-1 Burton Albion

United played their first home game of pre-season where they beat Burton Albion from the league above, 2-1.

The Iron took the lead early on through George Taft’s header, but it was cancelled out by Burton’s Jonny Smith. The Iron regained their advantage on the hour mark though through a classy finish from Trialist B.

The opening chance of the game went the way of the visitors. Burton won a free kick on the right-hand side of the Iron’s half and swung it in but there was too much on it for their Trialist A who could only watch as it went out for a goal kick.

The first opportunity for the Iron came just after though. Five minutes in, a ball went forward from the left which Ryan Loft latched onto. The away side put him under pressure, and he released a shot from the edge of the area which he fired just wide.    

Nine minutes in, there was another chance for United. Loft laid off the skipper for the opening 65 minutes, Devarn Green, down the left who was subsequently brought down, winning a free-kick on the edge of the area. Trialist A stepped up for the shot but saw his effort tipped away by Ellery Balcombe for a corner. 

Taft opened the scoring 15 minutes in. Alex Kenyon took a short free kick to Trialist A on the right before the youngster then moved the ball onto his left foot and sent a cross in for Taft who met the ball and nodded in the opener. 

Just after, there was a chance up the other end. Several Burton passes set up Smith who had an effort from 30 yards out, but his shot sailed over the crossbar. 

The visitors levelled proceedings on 20 minutes. Smith received the ball on the right-hand side before cutting in and firing across goal with his left foot. His shot went past Tom Collins’ attempt to save and into the back of the net. 

Mason O’Malley went down on 25 minutes and received treatment from the medical staff. He seemed to be okay though and was able to continue with the game. A few minutes later he even won possession and started a counter-attack, which led to an Alfie Beestin shot which was blocked and cleared. 

Just before the half an hour mark there were two chances for the Iron to take the lead. Loft and Green combined down the left before Green fired in a shot which was blocked. Following this, Trialist A sent a low cross into the area which was then cleared away before Loft could meet it. 

O’Malley was then involved in another chance for United. He whipped a ball in from the left for Loft, but it took a touch off a Burton player and went out for a corner. 

The Iron kept the attack alive though as Manny Onariase and Kenyon linked up and sent the ball into the box. It fell to Trialist B whose low effort to the right was saved by the Burton keeper. 

Following this there was a chance for Burton. Tom O’Connor sent in a cross from the left wing and soon after a ball was sent in from the right as well, but it couldn’t reach Omari Patrick and it went out for a goal kick. 

There was another chance for the Iron on 42 minutes. Tom Pugh played a through ball down the right which Loft ran onto. The number nine fired a shot towards goal, but it crashed into the side netting. 

After the break, Tom Hamer attacked down the right-hand side of the box and sent a low cross in but Onariase managed to clear away the danger and keep scores level. 

51 minutes in, Kenyon played in Loft down the left side of the area but his shot was met by keeper, Balcombe, and the Iron continued to search for an opener. A couple of minutes later, Trialist A sent in a cross which wasn’t cleared properly, O’Malley then blasted an effort from the left but it went just wide of the near post. 

The Iron found the net for the second time on the hour mark. Green played in Trialist B who rolled his effort past the keeper and in off the post. 

There were then 11 substitutions on the 65 minute mark, as the starting line-up had all received over an hour of important game time.

With 20 minutes to go, Conor Shaugnessy attacked down the right for Burton but his low cross into the box was cleared away by Lewis Thompson.  

Following this, Trialist C sent Thompson racing forward down the left flank. However, the away team were able to see the ball out for a goal kick. 

Josh Robertson, an academy prospect, found himself in space on the right of the area but his low shot was pushed away by the goalkeeper.

With 10 minutes to play, Rory Watson made a great save as Danny Rowe cut inside for Burton from around 20 yards and unleashed a powerful effort towards goal. 

Not long after, Lewis Moult got the ball on the right-hand side of the Iron area, but his effort was also wide and drilled into the side netting. 

The Iron are next in action on Saturday as they take on Hull City in another pre-season friendly.

Iron line-up: Collins (Watson, 60), Pugh (Davis, 60), O’Malley (Shrimpton, 60), Kenyon (Trialist D, 60), Taft (Jessop,60), Onariase (Wilson, 60), Green (Trialist C), Beestin (Rowe, 60), Loft (Thompson, 60), Trialist B (Trialist E, 60), Trialist A (Robertson, 60). 

Burton line-up: Balcombe, Trialist, (Borthwick-Jackson, 45),Morris (Maddox, 57), Powell (Rowe, 68), Hemmings (Akins, 74), Patrick (Moult, 74), Smith (Taylor, 60), O’Connor, Shaughnessy (Brayford, 74), Hamer (McLean, 81), Mancienne © (Redfern, 80). 

Burton unused subs: Garratt, Hawkins, Brayford, Latty-Fairweather