The Iron drew 1-1 in the first home game of the season against Peterborough Sports, with Jacob Butterfield on target early in the second half.
The Iron welcomed Jimmy Dean’s former club Peterborough Sports to Glanford Park for the first home game of the 2023-24 season where the Iron made two changes which saw Jacob Butterfield and Danny Whitehall come in for Jason Law and Danny Elliott who both dropped to the bench.
It was an nervy start for the Iron fans as Ross Fitzsimons rushed off his line to deal with a dangerous Peterborough through ball, which saw Josh McCammon through on goal but Fitzsimons managed to intercept and with a fabulous piece of footwork found himself in space to start the Iron’s first attack of the game. This attack fizzled out through a Tyler Denton cross which was cleared away by the Peterborough defence.
Five minutes into the game, Butterfield found space on the edge of the area to unleash a strike towards Peter Crook’s bottom corner but the Peterborough ‘keeper managed to get down quickly to push the shot away.
The visitors were the first to put the ball into the back of the net, a number of shots were fired at Fitzsimons in quick succession but the ball managed to find the back of the Iron net through a rebounded shot, however the away fans celebrations were cut short by the linesman raising his flag to rule the goal out for offside.
In the 12th minute of the game, Cameron Wilson was fouled inside the Peterborough penalty area to give the Iron their first penalty of the season. Danny Whitehall stepped up from 12 yards to try and put the Iron ahead. The Iron fans would have to wait for the first goal at Glanford park as Whitehall’s penalty was saved by Crook and the rebound was blazed over the bar.
Minutes later, Beestin sought redemption as he was set up by Wilson for a first timed shot but it's more bad luck for the Iron number eight as his effort clipped the outside of the keeper’s left hand post to go out for a goal kick.
After a one-sided ten minutes from the Iron, in the 26th minute Dan Jarvis broke into the Iron’s box and looked to be in on goal but Will Evans managed to make a recovery tackle to deal with danger.
33 minutes into the game, Beestin tried to seek out the Iron’s first goal of the game with a powerful effort but the ball flew straight at the keeper for a comfortable catch for Crook.
On the stroke of half time the referee went to his pocket twice, the first player to see yellow was Connor Johnson for a late challenge on Kian Scales shortly followed by Reagan Ogle who was the first Iron player to see yellow.
Glanford Park erupted five minutes into the second half with Jacob Butterfield scoring the Iron’s first home goal of the new season. Ogle’s shot was initially blocked but the ball was set up on a plate for Butterfield who took one touch to get the ball out of his feet and sent a curling effort to the far post beating Crook to give the Iron the lead.
Just minutes after the goal, Wilson broke into the penalty area to keep up the Iron’s momentum and found himself one on one with Crook. He tried to slot his attempt into the bottom corner but Crook made an excellent save to keep the Iron’s lead at only one goal.
61 minutes into the game, Wilson beat three defenders inside the penalty area before he cut the ball back to Scales. Scales directed the ball at goal but Crook managed to get down to make the save.
Wilson once again made inroads into the Peterborough penalty area, this time cutting the ball back towards Danny Elliott who was intercepted before he managed to get a shot off with 20 minutes left off normal time.
Dan Jarvis ruined the perfect start to the season at Glanford Park by grabbing an equalizer in the 80th minute. The ball was headed across the face of goal by Michael Gash and Jarvis found himself at the back post to equalize for Peterborough Sports.
The Iron were desperate to score a winning goal in the last minute of normal time as Beestin won a corner for the Iron but the search for a winning goal was unsuccessful when Crook came off his line to claim the ball from the corner kick.
There was hope for the Iron fans as the fourth official announced 6 additional minutes which was followed by pressure piled on by the Iron. In the fourth minute of added time, Peterborough had the chance to take a win from Glanford Park as Mccammon found himself free on the edge of the area and lofted the ball goalwards but the effort was narrowly over the bar.
The Iron won a corner in the final minute of the game. With a chance to win it, the corner was played short to Scales who’s cross seeked the back post but the cross was overhit and none of the Iron players managed to get on the end of it to win the game.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Kouogun, Evans, Clunan, Beestin, Wilson (Law, 78’), Butterfield (Shrimpton, 64’), Scales, Denton, Whitehall (Elliott, 64’).
IRON SUBS NOT USED: Kelly, Boyce.
PETERBOROUGH SPORTS: Crook, Cann, Johnson, Fox, Alban-Jones, Lawler, Jarvis, McCammon (Miles, 90+3’), Nicholson (Tootle, 74’), Jones (Gash, 45’), Fowkes.
PETERBOROUGH SPORTS SUBS NOT USED: McGlinchey, Elsom.
ATTENDANCE: 3,380 (52 away)