Report: Iron 1-3 Wrexham

United were beaten 3-1 at Glanford Park by Wrexham on Tuesday night.

The Iron came into the game having made one change from Tuesday night’s fixture against Eastleigh. George Taft replaced Reagan Ogle in the side; former United keeper Mark Howard returned to Glanford Park and he started in goal for the visitors.

Scunthorpe were the ones to get the game underway and they looked to put pressure on Wrexham early on in the game. However, it was the away side who got the first chance of the game. Ben Tozer launched a long throw into the box and Aaron Hayden got his head to the ball first but he headed over the bar. 

Wrexham were the ones putting the early pressure on and they had several chances to grab an early lead. Tozer found himself in acres of space on the left-hand flank and he had the opportunity to whip a cross into the area. His cross was precise and it found the head of striker Paul Mullin. Mullin had a free header from six-yards-out and he got enough power on the header to beat Marcus Dewhurst but he didn’t have the direction and the ball went wide of the target.

The Iron keeper was called into action a few minutes later. James Jones ran through the Iron defence and managed to break into the box. He was one-on-one with Dewhurst and he decided to take the shot on early. He struck the shot well and it was rising up and above Dewhurst but the Iron keeper quickly reacted and managed to tip the ball over the bar and out for a corner.

From the resultant corner, Dewhurst was called into action once again. A Wrexham head got to the ball first and headed it down into the ground which made it awkward for the United keeper. He had to react quickly once again and he managed to claw the ball off the line and it struck the post and the danger was cleared. 

Ollie Palmer grabbed the first goal of the game and put the visitors one-nil-up. A low-driven cross into the Iron penalty area made its way to the front post and Palmer nipped in and slotted the ball past Dewhurst for the first goal of the game. The Iron keeper couldn’t react in time as the shot was taken from six-yards-out and Wrexham took the lead in the game.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and Mason O’Malley was needed to prevent a second goal for the visitors. A corner was whipped in with pace and a flick on directed the ball towards the far corner of the net. It looked to be heading in and O’Malley had to rush back on to the line and head the ball away. It was excellent defending from the Irishman to keep the score at one-nil.

The away side grabbed a second goal when Jordan Tunnicliffe lifted a ball into the Iron area from a free-kick just inside the United half. His pinpoint cross was met by the head of Hayden, the Wrexham defender got higher than anyone else and won the header, and he directed it into the bottom-right-hand corner of Dewhurst’s net. This gave the visitors full control of the game and a bit of breathing space.

United got their first opportunity of the game after Rob Apter beat his man on the right-flank and managed to get his shot away. His effort didn’t look to have enough to beat Howard so Caolan Lavery tried to flick the ball on a redirect it into the Wrexham goal. However, his flick on flew over the bar.

In the 42^nd minute, the Iron grabbed a goal back and put themselves back in the hunt. Jacob Butterfield played an excellent through ball to Jai Rowe and the United defender controlled the ball brilliantly and he coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner of Howard’s goal. It required a bit of composure to finish the move off and that’s exactly what Rowe had.

away side had their first chance. Jones unleashed a shot from 25-yards-out and it went straight through Butterfield’s legs but the shot was no trouble to Dewhurst as the ball went very wide of the target.

United almost grabbed an equaliser when Joe Nuttall beat several Wrexham defenders and slotted a ball through to Alfie Beestin. The midfielder had to get his shot away quickly as he was immediately pressure by the defenders. He curled an effort towards the far corner but it wasn’t far enough in the corner and Howard got down to his right and easily made the save.

Scunthorpe had the momentum in the game and Wrexham were under constant pressure. Cross after cross came into the penalty area but the away side dealt with them well and clear their lines every time.

A few minutes later, Young had a rare opportunity for Wrexham in this second half. He found himself with space on the edge of the 18-yard-box; the ball came out to him and he chested the ball and set himself up for a volley. The strike dipped in the air and it had Dewhurst worried. Much to his relief the ball narrowly crept over the crossbar.

Wrexham claimed back their two-goal lead in the 69^th minute of the game. A flowing move from the visitors created space for Callum McFadzean just inside the Iron penalty area. The home side’s defence were no where to be seen and McFadzean played the ball across the six-yard-area to Paul Mullin. The striker had the full goal to aim at and he simply slotted the ball home to put the visitors three-one-up.

The visitors had the momentum and they nearly put themselves three goals to the good. Mullin neatly flicked the ball around an Iron defender and unleashed a powerful half-volley. His shot was always rising and it blazed over the bar. Palmer also had a great opportunity from a Wrexham corner. He found himself free at the back post and he connected with the ball on the volley but it just crept the wrong side of the post.

In the dying minutes, Dewhurst had to make an excellent save to prevent the visitors extending their lead. Wrexham broke the lines again and managed to get a shot off from the edge of the penalty area. The ball was heading into the top-left corner but Dewhurst was aware of the danger and he made a strong right-handed save. 

Apter almost grabbed a second goal for the Iron late on. The winger cut inside on his favoured left foot and he curled an effort towards goal. His shot struck the bar and was just inches away of giving the Iron hope in the closing minutes. That was the last action of the game.

IRON: Dewhurst, O’Malley, Boyce, Beestin, Nuttall, Rowe (Carver 74’), Lavery, Taft, Butterfield, Ntlhe (Young 36’), Apter.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Foster, Wilson, Pugh.

WREXHAM: Howard, McFadzean, Tozer, Hayden, Tunnicliffe, Young, Palmer, Mullin (Dalby 88’), Hosanah (McAlinden 60’), Jones, Lee (O’Connor 77’).

WREXHAM SUBS NOT USED: Lainton, Davies.

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