Following an impressive victory over Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit Cleethorpes Town the weekend prior, the Iron were back in pre-season action just days later when they travelled to the Impact Arena to face Alfreton Town of the National League North.
It was to be another test for Andy Butler’s men and guaranteed to be a hard-fought encounter against a physical Alfreton side.
United set up for the fixture in a fluid 3-4-2-1 system that immediately showed how dangerous it could be in the early exchanges with an impressive set of attacks that caught the Reds off guard from the get go.
The first major call of the game would come through some neat interplay from United that allowed Joe Starbuck to receive the ball on the half turn inside the Alfreton area. Before the wing-back had chance to pull the trigger he would be hauled down from behind in what appeared to be a certain penalty, only for the referee to wave play on.
Mere minutes later the Iron’s fast tempo would produce another chance to go ahead when a cunning counter attack saw Tyler Denton threaded through on goal but his low shot was blocked well by goalkeeper George Willis. The rebound would fall to first Oli Ewing whose shot was blocked and then Alfie Beestin who chopped onto his stronger right foot but could only drag the ball past the near post.
With just over 20 minutes on the clock it was still all Scunthorpe and Cal Roberts was presented with the perfect chance to put his side ahead when he was fantastically slotted through on goal with just Willis to beat, under relentless pressure from a recovering defender Roberts intended to dink the ball beyond the shot stopper who recovered well to pull the ball into his welcoming grasp.
Following this effort it wouldn’t take Roberts long to make up for his missed opportunity as he linked up sublimely with target man Mark Beck who dropped the ball off at the feet of his north-eastern teammate with skill, this would allow Roberts to stride onto the ball and flash a sensational low driven strike into the bottom corner leaving Willis rooted to the spot.
Scunthorpe would look to build upon the opening goal by creating even more chances and could’ve gone further ahead soon after if not for the intervention of Willis. It was a pinpoint delivery into the box that sought out the run of Beck at the far post, and when the towering forward connected with the ball it seemed destined to find the net if not for Willis who produced a simply sublime save to palm the ball away from the target.
Despite United dominating proceedings the scores would be drawn level by the hosts from one of their first attacks of the game. A well-placed cross into the area found the Reds trialist striker at the back post who unconventionally turned the ball home to make it 1-1.
This equaliser wouldn’t falter the Iron’s attacking intent and with the interval fast approaching they looked for a way of regaining their advantage with Roberts at the heart of every attack. With 41 minutes on the clock Scunthorpe’s star man collected possession just inside his opponents half and proceeded on a surging run forward before pulling the trigger with a low shot that failed to test Willis who held onto the ball well.
This would be the end of the first half and ahead of the second period it was almost full scale changes for the Iron who introduced six alterations including debutant Billy Chadwick to the field of play.
One of these substitutes was electric winger Dubem Eze who almost immediately burst down the left flank and tested the Alfreton 'keeper with a powerful effort from a tight angle that was tipped wide by a strong hand from Willis.
This would act as a warning shot for the hosts who ramped up the pressure to try and take the lead with some impressive football of their own only for United to defend valiantly and deny them on every occasion.
After testing the keeper minutes earlier Inited would have to wait until the 72nd minute for the goal they desired with Chadwick adding the finishing touch. It was Eze’s persistence down the right that allowed him to tee up the Scunthorpe loanee, after his initial effort was blocked the ball kindly feel back to Chadwick’s feet and he would make no mistake in volleying the ball beyond the onrushing keeper to make it 2-1.
Now behind again, Billy Heath’s Reds would again go in pursuit of an equaliser and should’ve really obtained one when the Scunthorpe defence was calved open with 76 minutes on the timer. With the striker running through on goal he would see the ball hooked away from him courtesy of some sublime defending from youngster Harry Shipstone who continues to impress throughout his training with the club.
As the game entered its closing stages the hosts thought they’d surely drawn the scores level when a cross into the area was flicked goalward by Gerry McDonagh. As the former Iron man’s header looped towards the top corner Dec Howe would leap into action by turning the ball away from goal with the use of his head in what was a superb clearance.
Howe would turn defence into attack in the minutes that followed and when he worked the ball down the right-flank he would drive into the penalty area and choose to go it alone by trying to give the keeper the eyes. The strikers shot was well placed but Alfreton’s substitute keeper was equal to the shot as he turned the ball behind using his outstretched foot.
With barely any time remaining United would put the ball in the back of the hosts goal through trialist Okera Simmonds. The former Liverpool man chopped off the right-hand side and competed well with a covering defender to keep possession, before placing the ball into the bottom corner for what would’ve been an excellent solo goal the referee deemed their to be a foul in the previously mentioned contest and denied Simmonds of his goal.
This would bring the encounter at the Impact Arena to its close in what had proved to be another worthy test for Scunthorpe, despite pressure from their valiant hosts United maintained their attacking flair and kept a strong defensive core to preserve another well earned victory.
IRON: Campbell (Johnson, 66), Horton, Evans (Bayliss, 72), Boyce (Belehouan, 45), Beestin (Matthews, 66), Roberts (Chadwick, 45), Ewing (Brogan, 45), Beck (Howe, 45), Scales (Simmonds, 59), Starbuck (Shipstone, 45), Denton (Eze, 45).
REFEREE: Aaron Bannister
ATTENDANCE: 246
