The Iron were back in league action this afternoon as they prepared for a Boxing Day battle with the mid-table outfit of Peterborough Sports.
The hosting Sports came into the encounter in similar form to United and were in desperate need of turning their many draws into victories if they were to start climbing up the National League North table.
For the annual fixture, Scunthorpe first-team manager Andy Butler was forced into making a medley of changes due to slight niggles and illness. Firstly, some positive news for Iron supporters as after missing the previous game through sickness Callum Roberts returned to the match day squad to take his place on the bench. Elsewhere, striker Mark Beck dropped to the alternates with a slight hamstring injury and was replaced by the target man figure of Danny Whitehall was selected to lead the Scunthorpe forward line. With left-back Tyler Denton returning from a knock to regain his position in defence it left just one final surprise inclusion for the Iron as Joe Rowley was handed just his second start in a United shirt.
The visiting Iron got the game underway at Lincoln Road in positive fashion with a number of high intensity attacks that caught the hosts off guard. It was one of these passages of play that forced PSL goalkeeper Peter Crook into action for the first-time in the game, It was Ross Barrows’ hopeful cross to the back post that Crook was forced to claim. However, the experienced shot stopper spilt the ball under immense pressure from Will Harris and did extremely well not to trip the striker in his efforts to retrieve the loose ball.
Sports would be next to test their opponents defence and did so on the counter when acting on a defensive error. A long-winded forward ball was misjudged by both Ross Fitzsimons and Andrew Boyce which allowed striker Kaine Felix to burst in behind at a wide angle. The forward seemed too far wide for a shot but attempted one anyway and sent his effort spiralling across the face of the open goal and behind for goal kick.
After some routine stops from Ross Fitzsimons to deny Hugh Alban-Jones and Dan Jarvis a goal that would’ve opened the scoring, the Iron would hit back with a period of sustained pressure that led to some good chances for Butler’s team. Carlton Ubaezuonu was the one to roll his marker in behind the Sports defence and latch onto his touch, leaving PSL joint manager Michael Gash behind down the left-flank. After steadying himself with a positive touch Ubaezuonu fired a low cross into the feet of Kian Scales whose powerful strike was destined for the back of the net if not for the intervention of a defensive block to diffuse the situation.
With time running out for either side to take an all-important advantage going into the break Fitzsimons would be forced to bail out his outfield players with an incredible close ranaged save. It was Rowley who picked up the ball and accidentally slipped through Felix with a misplaced past, the striker had no time to think before firing a shot goalwards that was sublimely turned behind by the outstretched hand of super Fitzsimons.
When the two sides returned for the second period questions were to be asked if the hosts could maintain the fitness levels they’d displayed in the first period and immediate examples was provided when Scunthorpe begun to build upon their possession.
The first chance Scunthorpe received was through the persistence of the Scunthorpe attack that allowed a pocket of space to appear for Tyler Denton to let fly from range. Denton’s drive inward from the right-hand side saw his effort catch Crook off guard forcing the keeper into an unorthodox low parry to deny the full-back.
As the referee’s watch continued to advance the hosts were allowed to grow into the game and proceeded to push forward for an opportunity that would give them the lead. The closest that the Turbines would come to accomplishing this feet was an ambitious drive from substitute Max Booth from the edge of the area that stung the fists of Fitzsimons who again did a brilliant job of keeping hold of possession.
With half an hour remaining for either side to clinch the points at Lincoln Road but supporters would be made to wait until the 75th minute for a chance to get excited about and it was the substitution of Luke Williams that brought the game to life. Williams received the ball on the half-turn about 25 yards from goal and with seemingly nobody closing him down the experienced midfielder stung a ridiculous shot at Crook that swerved in the air on its way toward the top corner. The Scunthorpe faithful were already celebrating before Crook somehow clawed the ball away from goal in what was a sensational diving stop.
Crook was again down to his left to thwart the Iron soon after, with an effort from the edge of the box from Whitehall somehow sublimely saved and then held onto the effort.
After a long-lasting onslaught of Scunthorpe attacks, they were finally seeing the joy from breaking down their opponent’s fitness and were rewarded with what would be the eventual match winner in the encounter. It was the 87th minute that the substitute Roberts added to his account for the campaign in what could only be described as a game of pin ball. It was Scales who laid the ball off to Roberts on the right-flank and after beating his man struck a finessed effort at goal that ricocheted off a Peterborough defender hence helping the effort past Crook despite his best efforts.
After the jubilant celebrations that followed the goal, the Iron were forced into some heroic backs against the wall defending for the remainder of the fixture that included five minutes of additional time.
Sports piled their bodies forward for an equaliser and were rewarded with a corner at the death that so nearly broke the Scunthorpe hearts when Michael Gyasi connected with the cross. Gyasi’s powerful headed effort was sent soaring toward the vacant goal until it was magnificently kept out by the acrobatic clearance of Denton who did a spectacular job to somehow keep the ball out of the net despite the hosts protests.
The Iron’s valiant defending late on made them good value for the lead and hence allowed them to secure the points after a controversial block from Andrew Boyce, Boyce’s potential hand ball thoroughly proved that it wasn’t to be the hosts day as they were denied the chance to equalise and surrendered the victory to United. After the referee’s whistle sounded for full-time, it made it five clean sheets from six for Scunthorpe and the end of brilliantly spirited performance from Butler’s Iron side.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan, Whitehall, Rowley (Beck, 70), Ubaezuonu (Kelly, 85), Scales (Evans, 90+3), Denton, Harris (Roberts, 57), Barrows (Williams, 70).