Report: Iron 3-2 Sheffield United

The Iron earnt a pre-season friendly win against Championship opposition Sheffield United on Saturday. A brace from debutant Colin Daniel and a goal from Alfie Beestin sealed the victory for the home side at Glanford Park.

The Iron came into the game having introduced five new signings to the squad. Marcus Dewhurst, Elliott Whitehouse, Andrew Boyce and Colin Daniel are some of the new names that have been added to it during the summer and they all started the game. Trialist Jacob Butterfield also made it into the starting line-up.  

Sheffield United were the ones to get the game underway and the first chance of the game went their way also. A precise cross into the Iron’s penalty area was met at the back post but the volley was mis-hit and sailed over the crossbar. 

The Iron’s first opportunity came from a Mason O’Malley cross. The full-back found himself in some space on the left-hand flank and the opportunity to whip a ball into the area came. It was a good ball into the area but unfortunately it was too close to the goalkeeper and it was claimed well by Jordan Amissah in the Sheffield United goal. 

Minutes later, the Iron got their second chance of the game. A long ball forward seemed to be heading for Daniel but Amissah was off his line very quickly to meet the ball. His clearance though rebounded off the on coming Daniel and the ball looped up into the air and looked to be heading in. However, the Sheffield United defence dealt with the situation well and cleared the danger. 

All the chances seemed to be heading the way of the Iron in this first half and Liam Feeney was presented with a golden opportunity to put the home side a goal ahead. A one-on-one situation opened up and his left foot shot was taken early but the shot was smothered up by the Amissah. 

All the momentum was with the home side and they made this pay minutes later. A cross into the box by Nuttall found its way to recent signing Daniel who took a touch and the ball bounced up and was ready to be hit on the volley. The volley was driven low and found its way into to the bottom-left-hand corner of the away side’s goal. Amissah could only watch the ball travel into his net. This put the Iron in the driving seat. 

A second goal for the Iron arrived soon after. Neat footwork from Dan Gallimore allowed him to beat his man and play a short pass to Butterfield. The trialist midfielder found himself able to turn on the ball and launch an attack. He drove at the heart of the away side and played a precise cross-field pass to Daniel who then saw Beestin free in the penalty area. He received the ball and from around ten yards out he slotted the ball under the goalkeeper to put the home side two up. 

Towards the end of the first half, a third goal was scored by the Iron, as Daniel got his second of the game. A cross in from the left-hand flank by O’Malley was met by the head of the Scunthorpe midfielder who produced a strong header to beat Amissah for the third time in the game. 

The visitors threatened towards the end of the first half. Firstly, a cross from the edge of the area was whipped in but Iron goalkeeper Dewhurst confidently came off his line to punch the ball clear. 

The Iron were the ones to get the second half underway and the away side were presented with the first chance of the half. Oli Arblaster drove at the Scunthorpe defence and played the ball to striker Daniel Jebbison who set the ball up nicely for a left-footed strike on the edge of the Iron’s penalty area. A strong shot was straight at Dewhurst in the Iron goal and it was an easy save to make for the Sheffield United goalkeeper on loan at the Iron.  

Minutes later, the visitors found themselves in the home side's penalty area once again and Max Lowe found himself with space and time from around eight-yards-out. He took on the shot from close distance and Dewhurst spread himself and made a strong save at his near post to deny a certain goal. 

The visitors continued to press on to find their first goal of the game. George Taft had to make a last-ditch sliding tackle in his own area to prevent a goal scoring opportunity on 65 minutes.

The away side made six substitutions with around 20 minutes left and immediately George Baldock and striker Rhian Brewster combined to give Sheffield United their first goal of the game. A cross in from Baldock found the head of Brewster who produced a powerful header which made its way into the top-right-hand corner or the Iron goal. It was an unstoppable header from six-yards-out and gave Dewhurst no time to react. 

Minutes later they grabbed their second of the game. Iliman Ndiaye found himself in a position on the edge of the Iron area and he beat several Scunthorpe players before slotting the ball into the bottom corner. A strong low driven shot gave the Blades their second goal and put them right back into the game. 

That summed up a good afternoon for the Iron. Beating the Blades by three goals to two gave the Iron confidence going into the remaining friendly games.

IRON: Dewhurst, O’Malley (Lewis, 68’), Whitehouse (Rowe, 63’), Boyce, Feeney (Wilson, 57’), Beestin (Shrimpton, 34’), Nuttall (Sellars-Fleming, 68’), Butterfield (Cribb, 55’), Taft, Daniel (Moore-Billam, 63’), Gallimore.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Foster.

SHEFFIELD UNITED: Amissah, Fleck (Baldock, 73’), Basham (Ahemedhodzic, 39’), Egan (Osborn, 73’), Lowe, Broadbent (Gordon, 73’), Robinson (Clark, 73’), Coulibaly (Brewster, 73’), Arblaster (Norwood, 63’), Osula (Ndiaye, 46’), Jebbison (Berge, 73’).

SHEFFIELD UNITED SUBS NOT USED: Wharton.

ATTENDANCE: 2,532.