Following an almost perfect start to the Enterprise National League season against Tamworth last weekend, the Iron began their home campaign this afternoon by welcoming a Neal Ardley-led Woking FC side to the Attis Arena for what was bound to be an extremely tough test against a well-drilled outfit.
With every player having a major role to play in United’s triumphant opening day victory there was no need for alterations from manager Andy Butler who opted to name an unchanged starting XI. However, there was one change amongst the Iron substitutes as after playing a full 90 minutes on Tuesday night in the National League Cup, defender Tyler Denton returned to the matchday squad in place of Dubem Eze.
In front of an impressive attendance on home soil it was the visitors who started the brighter and asserted their dominance over the Iron in the early exchanges.
After a flurry of attacks that tested the Scunthorpe defence the Cardinals would have their best chance yet when a floated cross into the penalty area found the head of veteran forward Harry Beautyman who managed to direct the ball towards goal, only for goalkeeper Maison Campbell to comfortably pluck the ball out of mid-air to diffuse the attack with ease.
From this moment onwards the first half would swing in Scunthorpe’s favour with Butler’s side bursting into life, almost immediately forcing goalkeeper Craig Ross into his first action of the game with the experienced shot stopper having to deny the link-up of Declan Howe and Alfie Beestin with a smart stop.
The next action of proceedings would result in the game’s opening goal with Howe producing a true poachers finish. After a fantastic pass through from Beestin to calve open the Woking defence, Roberts would surge down the right-flank and into the penalty area. A progressive touch inside allowed the winger to fire an effort towards Ross who could only parry possession back into the path of Howe, and the forward latched onto the loose ball to prod home for his first goal in claret and blue.
Following the opener Scunthorpe would go on to grab a quick fire second with Howe providing the finishing touch to another cunning United attack. After Joe Starbuck’s initial shot was superbly blocked by a visiting defender the ball would return to the feet of Ewing on the edge of the Woking area, but his goal bound volley was again swept off the goal line by a defender. This would cause the ball to drop kindly for Danny Whitehall who from a matter of yards managed to square the ball across the box for Howe who was presented with the easiest finish of his career for his second.
With half-time rapidly approaching there would be one final chance for the Iron to expand their lead when both Roberts and Beestin rushed beyond the Cardinals defensive line, bearing down on goal but with defenders giving chase the two Scunthorpe forwards would neatly interchange the ball between them to give Roberts a free shot from the edge of the box, however the forward could only send his effort marginally over the crossbar from a promising position.
This would see United into the break with a more than deserved lead which they would carry into the second period with a visible confidence about the way they were performing.
After the break the visitors would come the closest they could to halving the deficit mere minutes in.to the second period. After Oliver Sanderson’s close-range header was blocked on the spot by defender Will Evans, possession would fall kindly into the path of Beautyman in the area who could only snatch at the effort by volleying the ball high and into the stand.
This warning sign would bring life into United once more who regained their grip on the fixture and made the most of their dominance with a much needed third goal. This time it would be Whitehall who turned from provider to goal scorer as a swift counter from Scunthorpe presented the chance for Roberts to meet a cross at the far post, with space to volley an effort goalwards the winger would drive his shot towards the bottom corner and into the path of Whitehall who turned the ball beyond Ross from point blank range.
This advantage would leave Scunthorpe with just one more thing to do and that was to see out the three points. The last 10 minutes of action were made slightly nervy with the visitors getting a goal back directly from a corner, as Jack Turner’s ball into the box made its way into the net at the far post to reduce the deficit to two goals.
Despite Woking’s hopes of finding a route back into the encounter their goal would prove to be just a consolation with the Iron locking down their defensive unit and hence seeing out a valuable and equally very impressive performance and three points.
IRON: Campbell, Horton, Evans, Boyce, Howe (Scales, 63), Beestin (Beck, 78), Whitehall (Denton, 74), Roberts (Chadwick, 74), Rowley, Ewing (Ubaezuonu, 63), Starbuck,
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Rose, Belehouan.
ATTENDANCE: 4,412 (155 away)
REFEREE: James Bancroft
