Holders of the competition Scunthorpe United advanced to the semi-finals of the Lincolnshire Senior Cup, coming from behind to win 3-1 over Grimsby Town in a behind-closed-doors encounter.
With the game taking place at the Barrett Steel Stadium, the home of Bottesford Town, the on paper visitors Grimsby got the game underway. Both teams were youthful, however they were complemented with a few older and experienced faces.
The Iron started the game positively by regaining possession from their Lincolnshire neighbours and maintaining it with some confident passing play that opened up the first chance of proceedings early on. Some neat interplay on the edge of the Grimsby area allowed the ball to find its way to Joe Rowley with plenty of time and space to shoot, the eventual curling effort was well struck and required a vital deflection to turn it behind.
Scunthorpe were playing so sublime football to start the game and again went close a few minutes later. Carlton Ubaezuonu’s hold-up play on the left brought wing-back Michael Kelly into the game, Kelly got to the touchline and whipped a delicious cross into the area where Alfie Beestin was waiting to flick a header goalwards and forced a fine stop out of goalkeeper Seb Auton to tip it over the bar.
From the resulting corner the Iron forced another save out of Auton, who was proving to be the early difference. A short routine made was sprayed out to Luke Williams on the edge of the box who instinctively struck a half-volley that was destined for the corner if not for the 'keeper's diving intervention.
Scunthorpe would be made regret their missed opportunities as Grimsby would take the lead with their first chance of proceedings. A misplaced pass would be United’s undoing as Wrexham loanee Jordan Davies stole possession and weaved his way into the area to provide him with a simple finish to give his team the lead.
Now behind the Iron needed to continue their dominance if they were to equalise quickly and would do around the 25th minute mark through Ubaezuonu. It was Kelly’s pinpoint delivery that was causing the Mariners issues and his low driven cross found the movement of Carlton who finished the shot easily. However, the celebrations were short lived as Kelly had somehow been flagged offside in the build up.
Grimsby now had a foothold in the fixture and were starting to make use of their lead by attacking with confidence. Again it was Davies who tested the Iron defence as he received the ball on the edge of the box and smashed an effort at Campbell to which the shot stopper dove down low to deny the Welshman’s double.
In the final act of the first period Scunthorpe would come their closest yet to levelling the scores when Williams worked a yard of space. After some quick feet to make the opportunity, the 31-year-old wrapped an effort around Auton who was stranded but the effort crashed off the post and somehow didn’t spin into the net.
From the restart some tactical planned substitutions helped United maintain on top of the play and continue testing their opponents defence.
Early into the second period, Auton would be forced into two saves in quick succession to deny the Iron a deserved equaliser. The first save would be an unconventional one as a powerful attempted cross from Max Brogan was sent spiralling towards the young keeper who made an impressive reflex save. From this the ball would be swept out to Will Evans 25 yards from goal who smashed one of his trademark pile drivers down the throat of Auton, who swept the ball away with an unconvincing parry.
It seemed only a matter of time until Scunthorpe equalised and they would finally do so in the 64th minute as Ubaezuonu refused to be denied again. A slotted pass into the strikers feet was accompanied with an outrageous first touch to take the defenders out the game, and from that point on all Carlton needed to do was prod the ball beyond the onrushing keeper.
Scunthorpe continued banging on the Mariners door throughout the remainder of the second-half but were experiencing some resistance from their opponents who had well and truly battened down the hatches.
In the 80th minute there would finally be an opportunity for Scunthorpe to take the lead after some inspired hold up play from Sam Fishburn. The Fish pinned his man and back-heeled an open gap for Rowley to run into and from the edge of the area the central midfielder fluffed his shot by placing it just wide of the target from a good area.
Despite this missed chance it wouldn’t be long until the Iron would get their goal and it was a thoroughly deserved one for Williams. It was another progressive pass that allowed Williams to break clear as he was threaded into the area and without even thinking clipped a tremendous shot into the bottom corner.
As time began to run out Scunthorpe would finish the game in style by putting their rivals to the sword with a clinical third goal. It was Ubaezuonu who doubled his tally for the afternoon as he raced in behind to chase a lofted Michael Kelly ball down the channel, Carlton broke into the space and excellently finished his chance with a driven volley that snuck underneath the goalkeeper and confirmed his teams place in the next round.
IRON: Campbell, Nicholson (Denton, 62), Kelly, Kouogun (Evans, 45), Boyce (Abraham, 88), Beestin (Fishburn, 45), Rowley, Ubaezuonu, Brogan (Clunan, 57), Scales (Barrows, 62), Williams.
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Fitzsimons.
As with the last time the Iron drew the Mariners in the competition in 2022, the game was played behind-closed-doors due to the costs that would have been incurred through policing and stewarding.
