REPORT: Iron 3-2 Middlesbrough U21s

After a 2-1 victory over Aldershot Town at the weekend, the Iron were afforded a further break from league action this evening when welcoming Middlesbrough U21’s to the Attis Arena in the Enterprise National League Cup, with United looking to put points on the board for the first time in the competition.

As expected, there was to be a flurry of changes for the Iron this evening ahead of their penultimate group stage fixture, with notable inclusions including goalkeeper Kian Johnson starting his first competitive fixture for the club between the sticks, recently announced signing of Harry Shipstone set to make his debut from the bench and finally the return of Tyrell Sellars-Fleming to the substitutes following a period of absence through injury.

Scunthorpe were the ones to set proceedings in motion on home turf and found themselves under a wave of early pressure as the visitors looked to open the scores.

The first chance of proceedings would see Johnson forced into action for the first time in Claret and Blue when the Boro advanced into the penalty area from off the left. It was Rio Patterson-Powell who carried the ball along the touchline for the visitors, chopping inside of his marker Joe Starbuck before lashing a low driven effort towards the near post, looking to catch Johnson off guard, but the shot stopper got down nicely to turn the ball around the post.

From this moment onwards, the Iron would begin to grow into the encounter and would go on to test former Scunthorpe goalkeeper Owen Foster on several occasions. The first of these chances would see a lovely team move result in Dubem Eze racing away towards the penalty area with nothing but green grass to exploit. Once he’d made it to the penalty area, the Bolton Wanderers loanee would chop onto his left foot and see his deflected effort crash against the crossbar before spiralling out of play.

United were in charge of proceedings now, and with 25 minutes played, they would come close again, this time through a long-range effort from defender Branden Horton, as he steamed onto the ball 25 yards from goal and lashed a ferocious effort at goal that caught Foster off guard as it came through a crowd of bodies, forcing the Boro goalkeeper to make a reaction stop, diving on the second ball.

As the half progressed, it was seemingly one-way traffic, and the Iron would be rewarded for their persistence with the first goal of the game. After a delicious lay-off from substitute Mark Beck to bring fellow forwards Joey Dawson and Declan Howe into the game, the two would combine to see Howe receive the ball on the edge of the area and release a tremendous curling effort past Foster and into the top corner.

This would bring a promising first half of action to an end for United, who were looking to expand on their dominance in the second period. However, they would be forced into doing some early defending as the visitors came out firing.

Middlesbrough would find themselves unfortunate not to be on level terms in the 50^th minute due to the heroics of Johnson, who denied forward Hazeem Baker with a sensational diving stop as he somehow managed to claw a close-ranged effort out of the bottom corner.

The Iron would respond to this chance with an opportunity of their own when again Eze was threaded through courtesy of a neat move that began from a Beck flick-on. At a good angle for the shot, Eze would attempt to slot the ball beyond the onrushing Foster, only for his effort to curl around the outside of the post and find the side netting.

With Scunthorpe still knocking on the door and Foster still denying them down every avenue, he wouldn’t be able to deny United’s eventual second from Sellars-Fleming, as the Hull City loanee connected with Eze’s pinpoint low cross from the right to turn the ball home for 2-0.

Despite now possessing a two-goal advantage, United’s evening would take a turn in the twenty minutes that followed the second. Firstly, the Boro would pull one back out of seemingly nowhere through Sonny Finch, as the highly tipped striker slid in at the back post to score a goal not too dissimilar to the one Scunthorpe had scored mere minutes prior.

This goal would inspire a comeback for Middlesbrough, who had been given a new lease of life following some inspired substitutes. This lively-looking Boro team would continue to cause problems, and with no more than ten minutes remaining, Tyler Smith would equalise from close range, smashing the ball home after another low cross to level the scores.

Despite the equaliser, the Scunthorpe squad wouldn’t be disheartened, battling back in front during the game’s closing stages. Despite having several chances to regain their lead, it would be Beck who tucked home United’s third with a composed finish from inside the area, although the plaudits had to go to the pass from Zain Westbrooke to set up the forward, sliding the ball through several defenders with all angles against him.

Four minutes of additional time would follow at the Attis Arena, with United fighting tooth and nail to maintain their advantage and avoid the dreaded penalty shootout, something they would go on to do, as referee Andrew Miller called an end to proceedings, seeing Scunthorpe move off the foot of the group table courtesy of an impressive three points.

IRON: Johnson, Horton (Shipstone, 27), Boyce (Beck, 27), Howe, Ubaezuonu, Eze, Brogan, Scales, Starbuck (Gjoshe, 27), Dawson (Westbrooke, 52), Chadwick (Sellars-Fleming, 63)

IRON UNUSED SUB: Watson

ATTENDANCE: 428

REFREE: Andrew Miller