Scunthorpe United FC

As the Iron prepare for host Harrogate Town on Saturday, we look back at two previous wins over them.

THUMPING WIN IN FIRST ENCOUNTER
Harrogate 2-5 Iron
Tuesday, December 1st, 2020

The Iron were 5-2 victors in the first ever meeting between the two sides in December 2020.

Scunthorpe went ahead in the 16th minute when Harrogate allowed Eisa's low-delivered corner to bounce across the face of goal and Emmanuel Onariase stabbed in at the far post despite goalkeeper James Belshaw's attempted save.

Simon Weaver's men drew level in the 35th minute when Mark Beck won a free-kick on the halfway line after a grapple with Onariase.

Beck then met George Thomson's floated delivery into the box with a downward header that gave Jack Muldoon the chance to crash a powerful half-volley into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

But Scunthorpe were back in front by the break when John McAtee threaded a ball through the left channel and Abo Eisa sidefooted the ball past Belshaw from eight yards two minutes before the break.

It was 3-1 in the 63rd minute after Calvin Miller gave away possession in his own half and Muldoon was adjudged to have handled Alex Gilliead's right-wing cross with Eisa slotting the resulting penalty firmly to Belshaw's left.

Ryan Loft went on to tap in from a yard out in the 74th minute following another delivery by Gilliead from the right and - two minutes from time - Aaron Jarvis netted from a similar distance after home goalkeeper Mark Howard kicked a firmly-hit back pass straight to him.

Harrogate grabbed a consolation at the death when Connor Hall finished well from eight yards out after fellow centre-back Jake Lawlor's downward header.

IRON DO THE DOUBLE IN 2020-21
Iron 3-1 Harrogate
Saturday, February 20th, 2021

Striker Ryan Loft made one goal and scored another as Scunthorpe recorded another victory over Harrogate.

The home side went in front in the fourth minute when, following neat play between Loft and Alex Gilliead, Green had time to control the ball and lash home at the far post.

After a shaky start, Harrogate soon became the side in the ascendancy and almost immediately after Loft saw a close-range finish ruled out for offside in the 26th minute, the visitors levelled from the spot. On-loan striker March fired in after having his heels clipped by George Taft in the box.

Harrogate continued to look the likeliest to add to the scoring until a lofted pass from Alfie Beestin in first-half stoppage time caught the visiting defence napping and Loft controlled well and finished clinically.

Both sides struggled to create much in the final third in a scrappy second half, with Spence producing the one moment of quality when finding the top corner from 25 yards.

FULL RECORD