Report: Gainsborough Trinity 3-5 Iron

Scunthorpe were pushed hard by a trialist-filled Gainsborough Trinity side that fought valiantly, but inevitably the Iron’s fitness and quality shone through in abundance to seal the 5-3 win.

It was back to Tuesday night football for Andy Butler’s Scunthorpe United side, as they attempted to extend their perfect start to pre-season against Gainsborough Trinity with a win making it three wins from three against local opposition.

The Iron ranks had been bolstered on the day with a duo of new acquisitions being revealed in the form of recent trialist and energetic midfielder Joe Rowley who put pen to paper on permanent terms with the club. Rowley was joined by long-throw specialist Brad Nicholson who joins United looking to add to his promotion tally after gaining promotion with Boston United last year. Both new signings were to be introduced in the second half, and were looking to make an immediate impact.

The Iron were to get the game underway against the home turf Holy Blues in their fluorescent pink kit. Immediately, Scunthorpe aimed to apply their game onto the fixture by zipping the ball across the surface in a neat yet organised fashion.

As United flooded forward in the early minutes of the tie it left them exposed to the counter-attack and with no more than five minutes played Trinity strode into a surprise lead through long serving forward Fraser Preston. Preston picked the ball up in a promising area and instead of sliding the ball into his supporting man, he decided to go alone by whipping a stunning effort past goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons to make it 1-0.

In an almost instant response to the opener the Iron attempted to forge a quick equaliser to make it all square once more. It was talisman Danny Whitehall who found himself in an inch of space just inside the area after latching onto a scintillating pass from Cal Roberts. Whitehall was under heavy pressure from onrushing defenders and sent his shot just wide of the keepers near post.

Now United were in firm control, and despite the fatigue the Scunthorpe players were facing due to training mere hours before, they were still attempting and succeeding to move the ball around at pace. It was this exact liquid football that allowed the ball to find Alfie Beestin on the end of a deep cross, the striker brought the ball down with skill in the area but just couldn’t manage to squeeze the ball past the onrushing Josh Render, who did well to prevent the equaliser.

With half an hour played the Iron seemed to be edging closer and closer to the equaliser and again Whitehall came closest to finding what his side craved. The period of sustained pressure in the Holy Blues half came so close to be rewarded as Whitehall turned and strode in off the right-flank before unleashing a curling effort that landed just wide of the target.

As the half-time break approached United’s worst fears were brought to life as against the run of play Trinity would score an uncalled for second on the counter. An intercepted pass in the middle of the park led to a clearance finding the run of Gainsborough’s Trialist A who sprung the Iron offside trap, and knocked the ball past Fitzsimons who’d ran to intercept before slotting the ball into the open goal before him.

At this point worries were emerging that Scunthorpe could be out of this fixture, as they were left in desperate need of a way back into the tie. The goal that the United faithful had been awaiting came just on the stroke of half-time as luck joined the Iron as Andrew Boyce’s hooked finish managed to somehow spiral over the goalkeeper and into the back of the Trinity net to make it 2-1.

Now hopeful of finding an equaliser in added time of the first-period, Scunthorpe flooded forward and when substitute shot stopper Ollie Battersby managed to flick a Beestin shot round the post the Iron were awarded another corner, and on the stroke of half-time the equaliser was found through centre-back Max Kouogun who leapt in to snatch the ball past Battersby and into the net.

After the break Scunthorpe saw a small shift in personnel and in doing so allowed Butler’s boys to become even more expansive. As a result of this a goal would follow soon after play had resumed to propel the Iron into the lead for the first time. After a deep and ferocious cross from Michael Clunan was failed to be cleared the ball flicked high into the air for Whitehall to meet and nod beyond Battersby for United’s third.

With 53 minutes played, the Holy Blues persistence and refusal to surrender to Scunthorpe paid off as they found themselves back on level terms through former Iron youth prospect Lewis Butroid. The full-back picked up the ball on the edge of the area and Fitzsimons could only sit and watch as he whipped a sublime finesse shot into the top corner.

With the scores level the game began to draw into a stalemate for the next 20 minutes as both sides proceed to battle back and forth, forcing each other into a medley of substitutions as nearly all were replaced.

As time advanced and the game entered its final stages Trinity found themselves on top and applying pressure on all fronts. This passage of play mentioned was a strong test of defensive character for United as Fitzsimons was made to bail his team out of danger in outstanding fashion when he tipped a goal bound Preston volley just round the post.

Scunthorpe seemed to take this as another warning strike and from which they pushed onward to try and find a late winner at the Kal Group Stadium and from another cross into the area managed to add to their nights tally through substitute Carlton Ubaezuonu who marginally connected with the ball across the face of goal to bundle the ball home.

United managed to acquire their fifth goal of the night through Max Brogan. Brogan scored a carbon copy of his recent goal against Barton Town as he applied a slotted finish to his steaming run into the area to be found with a pull back from Scales after a neat backheel from Ubaezuonu.

Now with the score 5-3, the referee Harry Atkin was forced to call an early end to proceedings following an injury sustained to Kian Scales that became increasingly worrying. An update after the match from first team manager Andy Butler revealed that he's suffered a puncture wound from a stud, and that he would require stitches and only be out of action for a short period of time.

IRON STARTING XI: Fitzsimons, Kouogun (Abraham, 62), Evans (Barrows, 75), Boyce (Rowley, 62), Clunan (Shrimpton, 62), Beestin (Ubaezuonu, 62), Whitehall (Fishburn, 62), Roberts (Brogan, 62), Scales, Denton (Law, 45), Barrows (Nicholson, 45).