The Iron were looking to bounce straight back to winning ways this afternoon when Andy Butler’s squad travelled to Victory Park the home of Chorley FC for a highly anticipated reverse fixture in the National League North.
Depending on results a victory would hoist United back to the top of the table, but it was bound to be a difficult task against the play-off hunting Magpies.
In terms of Scunthorpe’s team selection for the encounter there was three changes from the side that was defeated by Rushall Olympic the previous weekend with two of which being forced. Firstly, starting left-back Tyler Denton returned from injury to regain his place at the left of the Iron defence over the injured Michael Kelly. Elsewhere, Luke Williams was sidelined for the fixture with a slight niggle and was replaced by new signing and Peterborough United loanee Oli Rose. Finally, there would be an alteration of the Scunthorpe forward line as winger Carlton Ubaezuonu dropped out of the side for the returning Alfie Beestin.
To start proceedings the teams spent the opening minutes testing one another with a number of long balls forward that failed to trouble both outfits equally experienced defences.
In a so far even encounter it wouldn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken due to the fortune of the hosts. A long lofted free-kick towards a Chorley man at the back post was volleyed powerfully back into the danger area. Before the cross could reach it’s intended target it would smash into the unexpecting Mike Calveley in a perfect position inside the Scunthorpe box, after settling himself inside the area the midfielder would make no mistake as he hammered the ball past Ross Fitzsimons and into the bottom corner.
Following the game’s opening goal United would take control of an overall scrappy game of football by creating some promising chances of their own. The first of these opportunities would come through midfielder Kian Scales who brought down the ball 25 yards from goal after some promising interplay between Beestin and Joe Rowley. With nothing but marsh to run into, Scales drove forward and stung a drilled effort at Matt Urwin between the Chorley sticks that the keeper did well to pounce on.
As the end-to-end action continued throughout the half Scunthorpe would come close once again through the impressive Rowley. After cutting inside onto his favoured left foot, Cal Roberts whipped a dangerous cross into the box that ricocheted back into the path of Rowley who did well to control and attempt a spectacular overhead attempt that was once again sent spiralling into the welcoming grasp of Urwin.
As half-time approached the Iron drew closer and closer to their well-deserved equaliser and would eventually find it with the last kick of the half. It would be from a direct free-kick that United would capitalise and who else would it be but Roberts to step up and whip a sublime curling effort over the Chorley wall and into Urwin’s top corner.
This would be the final action of the first half and when the sides returned for the second period it would be the hosts who appeared the more likely to acquire the next goal and would do so in a mere matter of minutes. Rochdale loanee Courtney Senior picked up the ball and began to surge forward into the Scunthorpe half, with one change of direction Senior cut out the recovering defenders and fired a long-ranged shot at Fitzsimons. The powerful strike was well parried by the unsighted shot stopper but fell kindly into the path of Sampson who tapped home to restore the host’s advantage.
Now the Iron found themselves behind again they would return to the drawing board with two attack minded substitutions. These changes would come in the form of latest signing Mo Fadera and Ubaezuonu who emerged onto the pitch with an instant impact.
It was Fadera who crafted the Iron’s next chance as he skilfully retained possession and spotted then slotted Roberts into the penalty area with the outside of his boot. The Iron’s goal scorer was on a tight angle but did excellently to direct an effort at Urwin and it seemed goal bound until the outstretched palm of the goalkeeper batted the ball clear of the target.
Following that attempt rom Roberts it seemed only a matter of time before the Iron got their rewards and would do so in the 63rd minute. It was Fadera again who worked the ball into a promising area and sent Tyler Denton down the line, the full-back was stretching to keep the ball in play and managed to hang up a wonderful cross for Whitehall who was never in doubt to head the ball past Urwin from close range making it 2-2.
As time progressed both sides were clearly looking for the all-important winner and as a result the game returned to the scrappy standards that had been witnessed in the first half. This would amount in a significant number of yellow cards being brandished to both teams which prevented any major chances.
This was until late on when United regained control of the game and had an onslaught of late opportunities to win the game. The first of which would come from another Roberts set-piece which he clipped towards goal from a similar area and forced an outrageous save out of Urwin to tip the ball over the crossbar and behind for a corner.
Deep into stoppage time a flurry of golden chances would present itself to the Iron as a number of different players tried their luck to find the winner. Firstly, Ubaezuonu was released in behind the Chorley defence and was unable to slot the ball underneath his former teammate Urwin as the ball deflected back into play. Whitehall then picked up possession and looked to dink the ball over the recovering Urwin and produced yet another fantastic top as the ball cannoned back off the crossbar. The rebound from the save would fall kindly for substitute striker Mark Beck from a matter of yards who could only crash the ball onto the bar again.
This late miss would condemn the Iron to a draw at Victory Park and despite the disappointment of squandered chances late on it was a positive performance from Scunthorpe who showed their fight when battling back from behind on two separate occasions.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Boyce, Clunan, Beestin (Beck, 81) Whitehall, Roberts, Rowley (Fadera, 57), Scales (Ubaezuonu, 57), Rose, Denton.
IRON SUBS: Evans, Law.