Report: Ilkeston Town 0-3 Iron

The Iron emerged victorious from their third game of pre-season following a 3-0 victory away at Ilkeston Town.

The goals were scored courtesy of Cameron Wilson and Kian Scales in the first half, with substitute Fin Shrimpton adding a third with a couple of minutes to go.

It was a strong XI selected by Jimmy Dean in a bid to win a first game of pre-season. Ross Fitzsimons started in goal, with Tyler Denton playing left-back, while Michael Kelly switched to right-back. Andrew Boyce and Max Kouogun were the centre-half partnership. Michael Clunan, Jacob Butterfield and Scales were the midfield three, while Danny Whitehall, Callum Roberts and Wilson were the front three. 

It was a fast start for the Iron who thought they were in on goal inside the opening minute through Whitehall, but the goalkeeper emerged to clear with his head, with the offside flag belatedly raised.

Ilkeston won the first corner of the game two minutes later before a header towards goal was deflected wide for another corner, which United headed clear at the front post.

On 11 minutes, Scales found himself in the referee's notebook after sending the Robins right-back into the advertising boards following a shoulder barge after the Iron midfielder was clearly tugged back just a few moments earlier.

United grew into the game further from this moment, with a neat passing move falling to Roberts inside the area, with his shot turned behind for a corner via a deflection. 

Ilkeston might have taken the lead on 17 minutes had a give-and-go paid off. Instead a half-volley from the flick inside the area flew wide of the target.

The deadlock was broken by the Iron in the next attack. Whitehall broke down the left and latched onto possession cutting back outside of the box to Roberts. He did the same to Scales who then pushed the ball across to Wilson to guide home his second goal of pre-season.

The equaliser could've been two minutes away, and it came in similar fashion to the opener, but the tee-up on this occasion was curled wide of the target.

Wilson had another sighter on 24 minutes but sent his half-volley wide of the mark before Butterfield span his marker a minute later before guiding a low left-footed effort towards goal, which was comfortably saved.

Kouogun then broke free of his marker on 26 minutes to side-foot a volley wide of the target, while two minutes later the card tally was equalled when former United player and Ilkeston manager sought retribution on Scales with a nasty lunge.

Just beyond the half-hour mark, Butterfield drove towards goal before being hauled down. Whitehall took the resultant free-kick, sending his effort wide.

Whitehall did hit the target on 34 minutes after a good move and one-two with Roberts, but on this occasion, he saw his shot saved.

A minute later, Scales peeled away at the back post as Kelly picked him out with an in-swinging cross, but the header went off-target.

Scales was getting ever closer to his first goal in claret and blue. On 38 minutes he was fed the ball following a patient move, but his long range effort went across the goal and wide of the target.

Whitehall was also searching for his first Scunthorpe strike, with the home shotstopper making a fine save following a shot from range on 39 minutes.

Out of those two players, it was Scales who got his maiden goal moments after the save denying Whitehall. He did provide the assist though, taking down a header forward before being allowed to turn and slip him into space. Wilson also was in the reckoning for the strike, but there was no denying the former Bradford City man, who swept the ball home.

Into the second half, the Iron weathered a couple of early corners before Fitzsimons was drawn into a comfortable save on 49 minutes.

Danny Whitehall became the third player to be cautioned on 56 minutes after annoying the referee once too often before the changes began to ring round over the course of the remainder of the game.

One of those remaining on the pitch, goalscorer Wilson was looking to turn provider as a near post touch from his cut-back drew the home goalkeeper into another good save on 67 minutes.

On 77 minutes one of those substitutes, Jason Law, was denied a goal through a block, while Ilkeston's Leroy Lita sent a powerful low shot wide of the post moments later.

Two minutes later another substitute, Alfie Beestin, stole in on a loose ball and found himself in the clear. He was fouled, which in a competitive fixture ought to be a dismissal, but he steadied himself on the advantage and clipped the ball wide after beating the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball.

With eight minutes to go, the Iron had a big chance for a third in the second phase of a corner when Kelly whipped in a ball from the right, with Kouogun sending his header wide.

Soon after the hosts had their best chance of the match as the ball was pushed to a player outside the box, with his powerful low drive going out of play off the outside of the post.

The settler did come on 88 minutes when Clunan fed Shrimpton into the area before he dropped his shoulder past one defender and slotted the ball across goal and into the net.

The goal game the Iron some icing on the cake in a first pre-season win.

IRON: Fitzsimons, Kelly, Kouogun, Boyce, Denton, Clunan, Scales (Shrimpton, 76), Roberts (Law, 62), Butterfield (Rance, 64), Whitehall (Elliott, 76), Wilson (Beestin, 76).

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Chapman, Evans, Barrows.