The Iron were defeated 2-1 away at Aldershot Town’s EBB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Manager Jimmy Dean made five changes from Easter Monday’s defeat at home to Oldham Athletic, with 18-year-old shot-stopper Owen Foster reinstated alongside starts for Marcus Carver, Ben Richards-Everton, Dean Rance and Sean Shields.
The Shots won the first corner of the game after just a few minutes. With the delivery cleared away by Iron attacker Danny Elliott, Ryan Glover picked up the ball again down the right, sending a dangerous curling cross just wide of the post.
An end-to-end opening exchange continued as a shot from Tahvon Campbell dragged wide, whilst Henry Ochieng had his shot blocked by midfielder Dean Rance on the edge of the Iron’s box.
Aldershot took aim again in the 16th minute after good work down the left saw a floated cross hit towards Glover by Campbell, who was central and in space outside the Iron area, with Glover firing hard but over after cutting inside.
Scunthorpe’s first shot came in the 24th minute after some neat work down the right-hand side involving Shrimpton, Reagan Ogle and Dion Sembie-Ferris resulted in space for Ogle to work a low cutback cross into the area, which Elliott struck over.
Good build up play from the Iron couldn’t be capitalised on in the 34th minute as the cross came in towards Sembie-Ferris, who peeled away at the back post, but the attacker couldn’t connect as the ball glided past the winger.
An opening goal came in the 37th minute for the hosts as Campbell notched Aldershot ahead. An effort was blocked by the Iron, and the striker sent the rebound into the lower corner of the net to break the deadlock.
Foster was called into action again on the stroke of half time, getting down low to gather the host’s attempt moments before the half time whistle.
United hit back shortly after the break. Captain Andrew Boyce tied the game in the 49th minute, beating Shots ‘keeper Ashby-Hammond to Rance’s cross and nodding into an unguarded net.
In the 64th minute, substitution Cam Wilson received the ball in the area, he held up to find Ogle who crossed. Winger Sean Shields picked up the cross and slotted in Rance, who then spread the ball back to Ogle which resulted in another cross which had the ‘keeper worried as it sailed narrowly wide.
Just four minutes later it was Aldershot who tried their luck after the Iron dealt with their corner, Glover picked up the resultant clearance and struck his powerful volley just wide of Foster’s net.
The Iron had reasonable shouts for a penalty in the 71st minute. An advantage was played following a foul on Wilson, with the ball met by Elliott as it rolled on through. Elliott beat Ashby-Hammond in the area and was subsequently brought down, but referee Matt Corlett was unmoved.
Aldershot retook the lead with seven minutes to go in the 83rd minute when Tyler Cordner’s head connected with a set-piece taken towards the Iron by-line.
Our hosts had the chance to make it a third just two minutes later, winger Jack Barham had an abundance of space down the left-hand side, but he rifled his effort marginally over.
Wilson almost sealed an equaliser in the final moments of the game, Richards-Everton flicked on as Wilson pounced to steal the ball and guide his right-footed shot narrowly wide of the target.
ALDERSHOT: Ashby-Hammond, Harfield, Partington (63’ Hutchinson), Cordner, Amaluzor (63’ Kenlock), Campbell, Jordan, Ochieng (80’ McQuoid), Mnoga, Glover, Barham.
SUBS NOT USED: Rowe, Klass.
IRON: Foster, Ogle, Elliott (73’ Feeney), Boyce ©, Carver(54’ Bennett), Richards-Everton, Shrimpton, Leake, Sembie-Ferris (58’ Wilson), Rance, Shields.
SUBS NOT USED: O’Malley, Butterfield.
ATTENDANCE: 2,252 (81 away).