Report: Iron 4-0 Darlington

The Iron romped to an emphatic victory under the lights at Glanford Park on Tuesday evening.

Jimmy Dean stuck with the same line-up from Saturdays encounter with Peterborough Sports which ended 1-1.

The Iron started the quicker as Cameron Wilson managed to get in behind the Quakers back line immediately whipping a delicious ball across the area, but nobody was able to meet it.

Once again, the Darlo defence was breached this time in the form of Ogle whose cross lands at the feet of Alfie Beestin who laid it off to Wilson, but his shot was met by keeper Tommy Taylor.

Striker Jacob Hazel came close to giving the visitors lead as he quickly latched onto a through ball and delivered a powerful shot goalward only to be met brilliantly by Ross Fitzsimons who tipped the ball onto the post from close range.

Darlington were next to try there look at goal as Andrew Nelson had a dig from range but his shot was comfortably saved by Fitzsimons as he dived down to his right.

Iron striker Danny Whitehall stood over a free-kick 25-yards from goal but his effort is stopped in its tracks by the wall and goes out for a throw. From the resulting throw, United found Beestin in the box who controlled and lashed a half-volley goal ward but it went just over.

The Iron began to take control of the game as Butterfield shifted the ball onto his left foot on the edge of the area and unleashed a magnificent strike toward the Darlington goal but Taylor pulled off an incredible acrobatic save to deny him.

The visitors looked to obtain a foothold as they boke forward with force on the 20-minute mark, a long ball forward finds former Iron midfielder Ben Liddle inside the area who sends an effort flying over the bar and into the roof of the stand.

The visitors struck in the game first as Hazels volley finds the back of the net only for linesman Drew Dutton to call it as offside much to the relief of Fitzsimons.

Glanford Park erupted for the first time of the evening in the 26th minute as Whitehall picked up the ball just outside the area and decided to take a shot which took a huge deflection directing it into the goal as a helpless Taylor watched it fly straight past him.

The visitors had a chance to equalise on the back of the Iron opener as space opened up on the edge of the area, but the effort didn’t trouble Fitzsimons as it once again flies over the bar.

For the second time of the night it was Whitehall’s name that appeared on the scoreboard as he stepped up to a free kick from 25-yards his strike was excellent beating both the wall and the hopeless goalkeeper Taylor on its way to nestle in the top-left corner.

The Quakers kicked off the Second half but it was Wilson for the Iron who had the first chance as he cut inside onto his right foot after beating but his effort was stopped comfortably by Taylor.

In a half with chances few and far between it was Dagenham who troubled next as a troublesome cross was poked goal wards by substitute Mitchell Curry, but the ball just trickled past Fitzsimons far post for a goal kick.

In the 78th minute Scunthorpe made it three through Beestin as he was slotted through on goal, and he slotted the ball past an onrushing Taylor to abolish hopes of a Darlington come back.

It was the Iron once again who troubled the Durham based side’s goal, this time through substitute Danny Elliott who picked up the ball down the left-hand side beating his man with a mix of pace and trickery only then to see his spectacular curling effort rattle off the woodwork.

In the games last action the Scunthorpe capped off a tremendous performance in front of the 3,392 fans in attendance by adding an extra goal through Dion Sembie-Ferris as his deflected effort hit the net to make it seven points from a possible nine to start the campaign.

IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Kouogun, Evans, Clunan, Beestin, Wilson (Kelly, 83), Butterfield (Sembie-Ferris, 74), Scales, Denton, Whitehall (Elliott, 74).

IRON SUBS: Boyce, Shrimpton.