Words: James Whitbread
The Iron will be looking to move past the narrow 3-2 defeat in the National League North at home against Buxton, due to a hat trick from Cian Coleman to cancel out Max Kouogun and Callum Roberts’ goals, as they look forward to a clash with Warrington Rylands in the second round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.
As United enter the FA Trophy, getting back to winning ways will be seen as a necessity with just one win in the last five for the Iron, as an in-form Warrington Rylands travel to the Attis Arena looking to make life difficult for the hosts. Despite sitting in 16th place in the Northern Premier Division, one league below the Iron, with just four victories in the league this campaign, Warrington have picked up two consecutive home victories over Basford United and Blyth Spartans.
Last time out, Warrington Rylands got a home triumph over Blyth Spartans. Ben Hardcastle opened the scoring, before Billy Gordon equalised for Blyth, and then Hardcastle got his double to cancel out the equaliser and win the game for the Blues.
A man in form for our opposition is Ben Hardcastle the attacker has netted four goals this season with all of them coming in the last five games, and three of them in the last two. As he looks to push the Iron towards another defeat and pull off an upset to progress to the next round.
On the road Warrington Rylands have a mixed record so far in the league, after seven away fixtures the Blues have won two, lost two and drawn three. Their struggle on the road has been scoring goals having scored just six away from home, just one goal more than the worst away goal scoring form, in the league. In the clash on Saturday, there will be a winner on the day, as the Isuzu FA Trophy has no replays, therefore the game will go straight to penalties if no side has got a winner inside the original ninety minutes of play.
Callum Roberts built on his goal scoring goal in our defeat to Buxton, pushing his goal scoring account to seven in the Iron’s last eight games, and he will be looking to help United get a triumph to get through to the next round.
An arrival announced on Thursday eligible for this fixture will be hoping to start well, Luke Williams has rejoined the Iron for his third spell at the club and will be looking to make an instant impact. The 31-year-old attacker played for Scunthorpe on loan in 2014 as he made six appearances and bagged two goals, and rejoined the club in 2015, but was majorly halted by a serious injury at the start of the 2015-16 season. As he persevered he managed five goals in 37 league appearances before leaving the club in 2018. Now as he rejoins United he will be looking to turn the Iron’s recent form and bring his experience and expertise into the side.
