Preview: Rushall Olympic (A)

Words: James Whitbread

The Iron are back on the road hunting for a third consecutive victory with some momentum after comfortably beating fellow promotion contender, King’s Lynn Town in a New Year's Day classic.

Andy Butler’s side will hope to stunt the momentum of a struggling Rushall Olympic side who are beginning to pick up some points.

Last time out, the Iron were victorious in a comfortable 3-0 victory with all goals coming in the first half; a Cal Roberts opener from a set-piece move, before a Danny Whitehall double, one of which being a penalty, the other a smart finish when he found himself one on one with the goalkeeper. United were meant to host Brackley last weekend, but the fixture was postponed due to a frozen pitch. After a 10 day wait, the Iron will be looking forward to this long-awaited game.

Cal Roberts’ goal against King’s Lynn built on his late winner against Peterborough Sports, and made it his fourth goal from the Iron’s last seven games, a run of games where the Iron have managed to find themselves unbeaten (four wins, three draws). Danny Whitehall’s double made it four in four for him, as the attacking duo in red hot form will be looking to punish the side that has leaked the most goals in the league at this stage of the season, with 49 goals conceded from 25 games.

Rushall Olympic find themselves in an uneasy position, bottom of the league with 18 points from 25 games, six points away from safety, with the worst defensive record in the league. After a torrid start to the season, which saw Adam Stevens sacked as manager, and a winless run of 16 games in all competitions, the Pics look to have turned a corner now.

Dutchman Richard Sneekes started managing Rushall on an interim basis and lost his first two league matches, one of which being a 7-0 defeat to South Shields, and also crashed out of the FA Trophy against Gainsborough in the Northern Premier League, but was backed and given the permanent managerial role. After losing his first two games as permanent manager, Rushall started off the year with a massive victory on the road against a promotion chasing Kidderminster Harriers. The Pics built on their valuable away win and won on the road again, this time a more emphatic 3-1 away victory in Yorkshire against relegation candidate Farsley Celtic.

A man who has been key to both victories for Rushall is 19-year-old attacking midfielder, Kian Ryley. Ryley joined on loan from Solihull Moors on the 20th December and has made a dream start, after losing the first two games, the highly rated young talent has helped rejuvenate the Pics’ form. Ryley has bagged three goals and got himself an assist since joining, bagged a double away at Farsley, and netted the all and important winner at Kidderminster. He will be hoping to make an impact once again and get another goal to halt another side with promotion aspirations at the hands of Rushall Olympic.

Our opposition also has a couple of familiar faces for Iron fans at the club, one of which being 32-year-old midfielder, Sam Mantom. Mantom joined United before the 2016-17 season and was part of the squad that finished third in League One, and were just four points behind an automatic promotion spot, and lost in the playoff semi final to Millwall. Sam Mantom hasn’t had a goal involvement yet, and has made five league appearances this season. The other ex Iron player in the Pics’ squad is attacker Liam McAlinden, the Irishman had a loan spell at Scunthorpe from Wrexham in the business end of last season, and was in another United squad that just missed out on promotion in the playoffs. Liam McAlinden has netted twice and got an assist from his 21 league appearances this season.

As both sides come into this game with some momentum after a few recent triumphs, the Iron’s defence is going to be needed, and with just one goal conceded, and racking up six clean sheets in their last seven, Scunthorpe look ready for the task.