The Iron were looking to build upon their recent midweek triumph over Rushall Olympic with a westbound trip to Southport.
Avoiding a loss against the Sandgrounders would make it four unbeaten in the Vanarama National League North for United and would provide them perfect grounds to extend their lead at the summit of the table.
First team manager Andy Butler made just the one change to the Iron side from four days prior as youthful striker Sam Fishburn was unfortunate to drop down to the bench after a promising first league start, however he was replaced by workhorse Kian Scales who slotted perfectly into the engine room of the Scunthorpe squad in order to try and cope with the hosts midfield overload.
The Iron got the game underway at Haig Avenue and started the game brightly with the sun beaming down on Merseyside. An early goal would be crucial for the way United were looking to control the proceedings and immediately set about trying to obtain the opener with a number of high intensity attacks.
Southport were initially finding it hard to live with the determined Scunthorpe and were being defensively tested from numerous set-pieces. One of these mentioned set-plays saw United’s first major opportunity as a far post corner from Cal Roberts was pinpointed to the head of centre-back Brad Nicholson who nodded an excellent effort past goalkeeper Chris Renshaw, and it was seemingly flying in if not for the timely intervention of Jack Doyle on the line who spared his sides blushes with an outstanding clearance.
The Iron were being extremely patient in their build-up play in the opening 20 minutes but when the chance to attack presented itself they were doing so intelligently. After a sustained period of possession Scunthorpe ventured down the right-hand side with Ross Barrows. Barrows slotted the ball into the feet of Roberts infield, the former Newcastle man has had confidence flowing through his veins of late and came mere inches away from adding to his tally for the campaign with a low driven shot that flashed just wide of Renshaw’s post.
It was safe to say that United were in complete control of proceedings at what was formerly known as the Big Help Stadium and proving their more than restored identity as just minutes after the previous chance Renshaw was forced into action again. Roberts was pulling Scunthorpe’s strings again as his trickery won a free-kick on the right touchline, it was captain Michael Clunan who stood over the ball and brilliantly clipped it into the area where Danny Whitehall was waiting to meet the cross under great pressure from two Southport defenders, Whitehall put an abundance of power behind his headed effort and forced the keeper into a sensational diving save.
The opening goal of the game seemed merely a matter of time away and when it finally arrived there was only one team that could’ve taken the advantage, and it was thankfully the Iron. Another free-kick was awarded to Scunny in a promising area and after a lengthy conversation of who would strike the ball the inform Roberts was the only candidate and he wouldn’t waste his chance as he fantastically wrapped the ball around the wall and past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Scunthorpe’s free-flowing football would continue after the opening goal and showed no sign of stopping when Kian Scales broke through in the 40th minute. On a marauding run from deep the midfielder somehow managed to burst a whole in the Southport defence by playing a game of knock and run, with only the outrushing Renshaw to beat Scales took the ball around the keeper leaving him with a tight angle to finish, with two Southport defenders waiting on the line to block Scales’ eventual shot they would do exactly that by flicking the ball around the post.
The Sandgrounders had failed to create a clear-cut chance throughout the first half but would be gifted one on the stroke of the break after a lapse in concentration. It was Will Evan’s attempted back pass that was misplaced as it fell short into the feet of Southport winger Danny Lloyd, despite being clean through on goal Lloyd made hard work of the chance as he silkily sat down the recovering Evans and dispatched the ball past Fitzsimons to level the scores.
This was the end of a very impressive first period from Scunthorpe and when the action resumed after the break United would go on to pick up from where they left off with a fast-paced restart.
Butler’s side weren’t made to wait to restore their lead as Nicholson’s signature long throw caused all manner of problems for the hosts. The ball was hurled into the box by the left sided centre back and it was perfectly met by the head of Whitehall who made it five for the campaign with a glancing header into the exposed goal.
Scunthorpe now had the lead intact and were looking to extend it as quickly as possible by flooding forward in attack. This front-footed approach that had served them so well in the game would seemingly be the Iron’s undoing as a long lofted clearance was misjudged by Nicholson who in an back-pedalling attempt to head the ball away knocked it into the path of Sonny Hilton in behind the defensive line, the former Fulham youngster converged on the pass and smashed the ball past Fitzsimons to level the scores.
With the game barely back underway following the restart before the hosts were emphatically celebrating again, all Iron representatives in attendance were stunned into silence as Lloyd doubled his tally for the day following another defensive mishap. It was this time Kouogun who was dispossessed at the back as former United striker Marcus Carver stole the ball and slotted it through to the winger who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Somehow now 3-2 down from being in cruise control Scunthorpe were forced into chucking the kitchen sink at their opponents for the remaining 25 minutes. Southport went back to the book and ever method they could think of to deny their opponents from getting the points they deserved from the game.
Late on the fixture the Iron found chances hard to come by due to Southport’s resolute defending. But the realisation that it wasn’t to be Scunthorpe’s day was at the death when another long throw from Nicholson was launched into the area and found the heads of Sam Fishburn and Andrew Boyce at the front post. Somehow neither player managed to connect with the ball and Renshaw desperately smothered the ball.
As referee Louis Griffiths blew his whistle to end proceedings he would condemn Scunthorpe to just their second league defeat of the season in what up until going behind was one of the Iron’s best performances of the campaign.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Nicholson, Kouogun (Fishburn, 72), Evans, Clunan, Beestin (Boyce, 85), Whitehall, Roberts (Brogan, 79), Scales (Ubaezuonu, 61), Denton, Barrows.
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Kelly.
