The Iron were on their travels again this evening when they ventured to Worcestershire for a highly anticipated encounter with promotion hopefuls Kidderminster Harriers. The fixture was to be a rearranged one with the previously scheduled game being postponed due to the Harriers advance into the latter stages of this year’s FA Trophy competition.
In terms of Scunthorpe’s team selection for the tie, there was to be four changes from the United side that defeated Farsley Celtic just three days earlier. These changes would see the weekend's rotations drop out of the squad as Andy Butler chose to revert back to the side that defeated Alfreton Town last Tuesday evening. This meant that target man forward Mark Beck would return to the summit of the Scunthorpe front line and energetic midfielder Joe Rowley could seamlessly return to the heart of midfield. The other changes would come in the form of direct swaps in the full-back areas, with regular starters Tyler Denton and Oliver Rose being selected to start.
In the early exchanges at Aggborough, it was all in favour of the hosts who applied an onslaught of early pressure that kept Scunthorpe restricted to playing inside their own half.
The Harriers impressive start to proceedings would almost be rewarded with the first goal of the evening inside a matter of minutes. It would be talisman striker Amari Morgan-Smith who had the chance to finish a well-crafted attack when he was left unmarked in the penalty area to meet a cunning cross from Maz Kouhyar. With half the stadium already celebrating from the moment the ball connected with Morgan-Smith’s head they were made to sit down almost instantly as the effort somehow nestled wide of the target.
After that initial warning shot, the Iron were made to try and counteract it with promising attacks of their own. Beck had made an impressive start to the fixture and continued this when he flicked the ball over the Kidderminster defence for Carlton Ubaezuonu to run into, once the in-form Irishman had breached the Harriers defence he attempted to fire an almost instant effort at Christian Dibble, but the chance was wasted as the strike trickled wide of the mark.
As the half progressed past the 30-minute mark the two teams were locked in an intense affair that saw the sides exchange blows across the field of play. The games next opportunity would come from the Harriers skipper again as it was Morgan-Smith who won another aerial ball from a Kouhyar cross. Again, it was an excellent chance for the skipper who could only direct his effort across the face of Fitzsimons’ goal and behind for another goal kick.
The Iron were now growing into the encounter and became the more likely to take the lead prior to the break. After several corners that were well dealt with by the Kidderminster defence, they were unable to deal with a fabulous in-swinger from captain Michael Clunan that evaded all attempts to clear and found the head of Beck in the area. Whilst Dibble had come to claim the corner, Beck’s effort was well placed and seemed destined for the bottom corner until the last gasp intervention of a Harriers defender to flick the ball off the line.
In the half’s last action there would be another headed effort that would go amiss for United. A surging run from deep by Kian Scales allowed Scunthorpe to break out of their own half and attack at pace, Scales would make it to the edge of the box before teeing it up for Denton to cross, the left-back's delivery was expert and found the salmon-like jump of Ubaezuonu in the box who managed to connect but could only steer the ball onto the roof of the net.
Following the break the sides would look to immediately establish the lead, and it wouldn’t take long for the hosts to grab the opener from the most bizarre of angles. It was Kouhyar the scorer of the opening goal as he burst down the left flank and received the ball in a crossing position, with Ashley Hemmings to aim for in the area Kouhyar attempted a floated cross to the back post that appeared over hit as it seemed to be soaring out for a goal-kick until smashed off the post and ricocheted back across the goal and into the net.
Mere minutes after the opening goal of the evening a chance would arise for United to draw level from a set-piece. Clunan stood over the dead ball 25 yards from the target, after a momentary pause he would clip a dangerous cross into the area that landed perfectly onto the head of Ubaezuonu who’s brilliant header was arrowed towards the top corner, but he would be denied of a deserved goal by a incredible diving stop from Dibble to claw the ball away from goal.
As the time ticked on the tensions would rise in the game, Scunthorpe were becoming desperate to find an equaliser but were being left frustrated by the hosts time wasting as they attempted to slow down the clock on every occasion.
The next chance for the Iron would come through substitute Andrew Boyce who was nearly rewarded for his lurking run at the back post. After picking up a loose second ball Joe Rowley burst to the by line and attempted to hook a ball to the back post for Boyce. If he’d got there it would’ve been a certain goal for the Rolls Boyce, but he was unfortunate to be beaten to the cross by a Harriers defender that turned the ball behind, however the referee decided to award the hosts with a goal kick.
With the game at its death and time running out, tensions would finally boil over in the dugouts as out of nowhere there was a rush of bodies that inevitably ended in two red cards being brandished to the managers of both teams. With the referee unable to decipher what had happened amongst the crowd it would go to prove that it wasn’t to be United’s night at Aggborough.
IRON: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Evans, Clunan, Roberts, Rowley, Ubaezuonu, Beck (Beestin, 67), Scales, Denton, Rose (Boyce, 58).
IRON SUBS: Kelly, Williams, Fadera.
