Scunthorpe were held to a draw at the Attis Arena as the crossbar denied both Andrew Boyce and Tom Pugh late on to keep the scores level.
The Iron returned to the Attis Arena as they were set to dive further into the business end of the Vanarama National League North campaign by facing in-form outfit King’s Lynn Town. The previous encounter between the two sides was a disappointing one for United as they were defeated 3-1 at the Walks Stadium back in November.
First team manager Jimmy Dean made three alterations to his starting XI in hopes of immediately springing back to winning ways following Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat at the hands of Spennymoor. Firstly, versatile forward Flynn Clarke returned to the starting XI to replace promising loanee Kai Corbett. Elsewhere energetic midfielder Tom Pugh returned to the line-up after being rested in midweek, Pugh was to replace workhorse Kian Scales who dropped down to the bench. Finally, frontman Danny Elliott was inducted in to lead the attacking line in replace of the Iron’s leading scorer Danny Whitehall who dropped to the substitutes with a slight knock.
The visitors got the game with the sun bearing down on the Arena turf. The Linnets were looking enforce their style of play onto the game during the early periods with hopes of extending their recent unbeaten run to 11 consecutive games.
Despite Lynn’s opposing threat, the Iron began proceedings in the better fashion, creating a number of half chances from the wide flanks that seemed to be constantly evading the lurking back post runs of various Scunthorpe players.
The first-half’s action had been severely underwhelming as neither side was able to break one another down. This was until the 35th minute when the wait for a first effort on goal was finally ended. The opportunity originated from a Jacob Butterfield free-kick from near the touchline, the cross swung across the area and was met by the aerial prowess of Andrew Boyce who nodded a header goalward, but it met the experience palms of goalkeeper Paul Jones.
That was to be the only notable chance of the first half and as the teams returned to begin the new period all in attendance would’ve been hoping for a more spirited performance from their side.
Following the break the supporter’s early optimism of a better second half was soon fading away as the game continued in the same manner that and plagued the first. This was up until the 63rd minute of action when offensive substitute Dion Sembie-Ferris chopped inside his marker from off the left-hand side and released a bending effort from range that curled away from Jones’ far post and flew behind for a goal kick.
As time progressed, Scunthorpe began to build further momentum, storming the Linnets penalty area at every possible moment. On one of those occasions when the Iron flooded forward for a set piece the far post Butterfield delivery landed perfectly on the head of Boyce, the then captains looping header soared over the keeper but was headed onto the crossbar by the covering defender.
As time began to ebb away in the games latter stages, Lynn produced a golden opportunity to place themselves ahead. Some neat build-up play down the left side allowed substitutes Ben Stephens and Bartosz Cybulski to combine as the first crossed to the second, however the towering Polish striker blazed the ball miles over the crossbar.
In a last gasp attempt to grab the desired winner, the Iron worked the ball to the wings once more. After patiently waiting for an opportunity to clip a cross into the area, Sembie-Ferris beautifully hung a delicately placed cross onto the head of Pugh, under a mountain of pressure Pugh directed his header on target but all Scunthorpe hearts sank as the ball stung the crossbar and deflected behind.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan (Scales, 74), Elliott (Whitehall, 57) ,Roberts, Pugh, Butterfield, Clarke (Sembie-Ferris, 57), Denton.
IRON SUBS: McAlinden, Corbett.
