Report: Iron 3-0 Marine

The Iron were set to kickstart their 2024-25 National League North home campaign with a visit from Merseyside outfit Marine AFC. The encounter would be the Mariners first away game in the division since their recent promotion from the Northern Premier League that came following a play-off triumph over Macclesfield.

Iron manager Andy Butler named an unchanged squad from his side's opening day victory over predicted promotion rivals Brackley. There was relief for Scunthorpe supporters, however, as attacking midfielder Cal Roberts started the fixture despite having to be replaced at half-time the previous weekend. Later it was revealed by Butler that Roberts was replaced due to slight fatigue but had made a full recovery in order to face the Mariners in front of the Iron faithful.

The visitors, under the management of Neil Young, got the game underway at the Attis Arena with a long punt into open space, a tactic that was to be expected against a fast-flowing Iron team that appeared to be radiating confidence.

The first opportunity of proceedings was sensationally crafted by Scunthorpe due to a swift passing move. Last week’s man of the match Alfie Beestin performed a clever turn to escape his marker Regan Griffiths in midfield and sprayed a pass into the feet of Tyler Denton down the left-flank. Denton knew exactly what his next move was going to be even before the ball reached his foot as he slid Kian Scales in behind the Mariners defensive line with his first touch. Scales went bombarding into the area and instead of shooting tried an ambitious cross to the back post that narrowly missed the outstretched boot of Cal Roberts at the back post.

After 25 minutes of back-and-forth action and no real chances the Scunthorpe supporters were sent into jubilance as the ball ended up in the back of the Marine net. This moment came as a chipped pass Danny Whitehall landed perfectly at the feet of Roberts in the centre of the area; after composing himself the 27-year-old neatly slotted the ball past the onrushing Luke Hutchinson only for celebrations to be unfortunately cut short by the raised flag of linesman Minesh Gupta.

Marine were yet to impose themselves on the fixture and finally managed to register their first shot on the Scunthorpe goal prior to half-time. On a booking for a previous foul on Ross Barrows, winger Owen Robinson carefully stole possession in the United half and drove a thunderous effort towards Ross Fitzsimons that failed to trouble the shot stopper, as it rose over the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.

With three minutes remaining of a competitive half of football the deadlock was finally broken by central defender Andrew Boyce. Scunthorpe were finally able to correctly utilise the long throw of Brad Nicholson when the left-sided defender flung another throw into the area that was met by a glancing header from Boyce to knock the ball past Hutchinson, this would award the Iron a much-needed 1-0 lead going into the break.

Following the restart, Marine seemed an inspired force for the second period and began much better than they ended the first half with a flurry of early shots from distance. 

The best chance the Mariners mustered would be a glancing header mere minutes into the second half. Some neat interplay down the left flank allowed a dangerous cross to be swung towards the back stick where Marine’s latest addition Brad Holmes was waiting to meet the delivery but could only direct his header over the crossbar from close range.

As play continued Scunthorpe would respond with an immediate reply to their opponents’ opportunities as right wing-back Ross Barrows would find himself in a promising position after he received a sublime switch pass from Scales. Barrows’ marauding run down the field would allow him to chop onto his weaker left-foot in the area and sting a whipped effort just around Hutchinson’s far post.

Despite United’s lead the visiting Mariners were by no means making it easy for Scunthorpe. Because of this a second goal and cushion was required from Scunthorpe and they were unfortunate not to find it on the 60 minute mark. The chance came from a delicate clipped cross to the back post from Michael Clunan that was turned goalwards by Whitehall in the area and forced a low save out of Hutchinson.

Eventually after an onslaught of Mariners pressure Scunthorpe were able to add to their lead when they needed it most. It all started from Fitzsimons’s at one end of the pitch who plucked a cross out of the air and dispatched Whitehall in behind the Marine defence with a beautiful dropkick. Whitehall was left with not much work to do as he bared down on Hutchinson and lethally struck the ball past the loanee keeper and into the bottom corner. 

Now Scunthorpe were in complete control of the fixture and were advancing further and further into the visitors final third as the minutes began to draw out. The Iron supporters weren’t made to wait for the third goal as it would arrive courtesy of substitute striker Sam Fishburn. The Fish leapt like a salmon to meet Whitehall’s headed pull back in the area and had but to knock the ball into the exposed goal from a matter of yards for 3-0.

The scoreline would remain this way right up until the end of proceedings, although United were unfortunate not to extend their lead late on as chances continued to rain down on the Merseyside outfit including another headed effort from Boyce that dropped just wide of the post to prevent him from claiming his double.

Following Boyce’s effort, referee Ben Robinson would condemn Marine to defeat and award United another valuable three points along with another 3-0 victory that continued Scunthorpe’s impressive start to life under manager Andy Butler.

IRON: Fitzsimons, Nicholson (Kelly, 86), Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan, Beestin (Rowley, 83), Whitehall, Roberts (Fishburn, 73), Scales, Denton (Brogan, 67), Barrows (Evans, 83)