United crucially defeated a hard-working Farsley team 2-0 under the lights of the Citadel in their hunt for promotion to the Vanarama National League.
The Iron travelled to the Citadel home of play-off pushing Farsley Celtic for their last fixture of 2023. The encounter was to be the reverse game of Boxing Day as Scunthorpe triumphed 2-0 thanks to goals from Jason Law and league top scorer Danny Whitehall.
First team manager Jimmy Dean made two changes to his side that featured on Boxing Day. With a troublesome Celts surface, midfield maestro Jacob Butterfield dropped down to the bench for forward Danny Elliott meaning Alfie Beestin could returned to his favourable position in central midfield. Elsewhere, winger Cal Roberts was integrated back into the starting XI following a quick recovery from a shoulder injury a week prior, Roberts was to replace Law who acquired a knock in the build-up.
Beestin got the game underway for the visitors who were looking to set the tone of the fixture from the beginning. This message seemed to have been reiterated throughout Dean’s starting XI as the Iron came a whisker away from taking an early lead within the opening two minutes. Play made its way to ever consistent wing-back Tyler Denton, with time to compose himself Denton lofted a pinpoint pass into the feet of Kian Scales who cut the ball back across the six-yard box marginally evading the outstretched boot of Whitehall from close range.
Across the opening 10 minutes, Farsley seemed to be playing a much more adventurous style of football compared to their defensive display on Boxing Day, using the conditions to their advantage the Celts were causing problems for the United back four.
The games first goal was to be integral to how the game could be dictated, and when Scunthorpe capitalised on poor Farsley defending they were handed the much-required advantage. Roberts’ inswung corner was turned goalward firstly by Andrew Boyce and then by Whitehall, in an all-out goalmouth scramble Everton loanee Zan-Luk Leban’s goalkeeping heroics could only turn the ball to man mountain Will Evans, who smashed the ball home for his second goal in claret and blue.
Following the opener, an altercation broke out within the hosts penalty area. As United pushed on for their second goal of the afternoon via a flurry of crosses a penalty cry rang out from the travelling fans behind the goal as Whitehall was seemingly hauled to the floor by former Iron youngster Isaac Assenso. With the two players in a heap on the deck referee George Warren signalled for a Farsley free-kick but in the moments that followed Assenso appeared to plant his head into Whitehall as both players dropped to the floor once more. Without a doubt in his mind, Warren reached for his back pocket and produced a red card for both involved and with that called an end to the first half proceedings.
After a delayed restart as a result of a crowd medical emergency, Scunthorpe were prepared for an intense second half battle as the game was hanging within the balance.
The Iron came immediately out of the blocks, and began to seek out the space left by the dismissed Assenso. Beestin was threaded the ball on the edge of the area by Scales who anticipated his markers tackle attempt and rolled the defender in question. The former Doncaster man came inches away from scoring as his low shot trickled wide of Leban’s far post.
The hosts were determined to show their own ability in front of goal and began to threaten Fitzsimons’s impressive clean sheet collection. Bradford City youngster Dylan Youmbi had been rather quiet so far but the forward did superbly to out muscle Boyce and cut the ball back to the unmarked Conor Branson who blazed the ball over the target from a promising position.
Now with a grip on proceedings the Celts were expertly denied a leveller by Fitzsimons as former Scarborough striker Michael Coulson stung an effort towards the shot stopper that forced him to dive down to his left and turn the ball round the post to keep Scunthorpe ahead.
Farsley were knocking on Scunthorpe’s barn door that was being desperately blockaded by a vital Iron bar, however this constant pressure was leaving the Green Army light on defensive coverage so when United were presented with a chance to break they attempted to make the most of it. After a steaming surge forward from captain Michael Clunan, he strode onto the ball on the edge of the area and with an astounding first time effort forced a superb full stretch stop from Leban.
With five minutes of action remining the Iron were handed a beneficial lifeline as on his 300th game for Farsley, captain Chris Atkinson brought down Scales in what was a second yellow card offence for the skipper and hence he joined Assenso for an early bath.
With a man advantage and fresh legs on the field, Scunthorpe sealed all three points at the encounters end as Elliott who had been working tirelessly all game got his reward by slotting the ball into the path of substitute Fin Shrimpton who effortlessly stroked the ball past the keeper to seal the victory.
The Iron were forced to graft to acquire all three points in Yorkshire as Dean’s team battled against the seasons to defeat the Celts at the Citadel.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Evans, Boyce, Clunan, Beestin (Shrimpton, 65), Elliott (Kelly, 89), Roberts (Smith, 76), Scales, Denton, Whitehall.
IRON SUBS: Kouogun, Butterfield.