Report: Eastleigh 1-1 Iron (match abandoned)

After a heavily successful opening month to the campaign, the Iron rolled into September with an on the road encounter against an in-form Eastleigh side that came into the fixture on the back of three successive victories in the National League.

Scunthorpe were on a good run of form of their and were looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season against the Spitfires.

With regard to Scunthorpe’s team selection for the evening there were four changes from the side that battled till the end during United’s draw with Brackley Town. Initial changes saw Jean Belehouan, Billy Chadwick and Carlton Ubaezuonu come into the side to replace the suspended Joe Starbuck and the rested duo of Alfie Beestin and Declan Howe. There was one late alteration for the Iron as an injury in the warm-up for Maison Campbell allowed Rory Watson to come in for his second debut.

In the game's early stages at the Silverlake Stadium it was very much a case of the two sides trying to figure one another out. Despite some early inroads into each other’s halves there was to be no chances of note with little separating the two teams.

It would be the Scunthorpe defence that would be called into action for the first time in the game after some smart link up from the hosts allowed a shot from distance to be rifled in the direction of Watson. Although the effort appeared to be drifting wide of the target, the United shot stopper would be more than equal to the shot by claiming it comfortably in his grasp.

As the half progressed, the Iron would begin to grow into the encounter and would go on to carve open the Eastleigh defence with a clever passage of play. After Ubaezuonu switched the ball to encourage both Tyler Denton and Chadwick to combine, the ball would be slotted inwards for Joe Rowley’s disguised run that opened up the space for a shot, although the eventual effort trickled wide of the target from a promising position.

With the 30-minute mark in the game approaching the hosts would show signs of attacking intent through the recently impressive Aaron Blair who latched onto a long ball over the top of the Scunthorpe defence. After sensationally bringing the ball under his spell, Blair would look to provide the finishing touch from the edge of the area with a looping volley that fortunately for the Iron dipped marginally over the crossbar.

As half-time began to approach at Silverlake the visiting United would look to make the most of their dominance in possession with a goal to accompany it. When Chadwick sauntered inside from the left-flank he would slot the ball into the path of Rowley again who charged onto the pass set to strike it with all his might. Despite being 35 yards from the target, Rowley’s effort was cleanly struck and had goalkeeper Nick Townsend scrambling down to his left as he traced it wide of his goal.

In the last action of the first period, it would be the Iron who came the closest yet to breaking the deadlock from a free kick. 25 yards from goal it was very much Danny Whitehall territory and when the striker stepped up to whip the ball over the wall of his former club it was fair to say he was well on his way to celebrating as the ball rocketed towards the top corner, only for the ball to cannon back off the post before smashing into the unassuming Townsend and behind for a corner.

United would be disappointed not to go into the break in the lead following the chances they’d created, despite the hosts showing some positive signs of their own. When the teams returned for the second period the Iron would pick up where they left off with a number of exciting attacks to report.

Throughout the fixture Ewing had been finding the pocket sublimely in the middle of the park and when his quick change of feet on the edge of the Spitfires penalty area opened up the space for a shot Ewing would drive the ball beyond Townsend, on this occasion the former Newport County goalkeeper could only watch as the ball glided past him as well as the target as it nestled just wide.

The next chance for United would come following a stoppage in play when a head injury to Eastleigh defender Aaron Pierre left Scunthorpe with a drop ball in a promising position. When play was resumed Roberts would swing an almost immediate cross into the danger area where Ubaezuonu was waiting to prod the ball towards Townsend who made an outstanding reflex stop to deflect the ball away from goal.

After a number of stoppages in play the game would change hands with the hosts using the breaks to their advantage. Watson would be called into action for the first time in a while when he was forced to produce a stunning save of his own by producing a fingertip stop to deny a finessed effort from Eastleigh man Jake Taylor.

With the hosts now on top of proceedings they would again push for the goal to break the deadlock with a swift counterattack to move the ball up to the channel. After the initial cross into the box was swept away the ball would find its way to striker Harvey Saunders on the edge of the box who saw his powerful strike arrow just over the crossbar.

The opening goal of the fixture seemed only a matter of time away and it would indeed be found in the 83rd minute when a cunning Scunthorpe counter was worked into Denton down the left side.  After sliding the ball into the penalty area it would find the run of Roberts who let the ball slide into the path of substitute Beestin on the edge of the box, after settling himself the Iron midfielder would have the ball hooked away from his feet only for it to fall into the path of Dec Howe who smashed an effort beyond Townsend for a deserved 1-0 lead.

After another 10 minutes of holding off the hosts offensive onslaught, the Iron’s back line was finally breached by Saunders. After working the ball out to the flanks a cross to the far post would be headed back across the Scunthorpe goal line and into the path of the waiting Saunders who lashed the ball past Watson to tie the scores with seven minutes of injury time remaining.

Unfortunately, what would happen next in the game would be a horrific incident to witness that brought the game to an early end. After both going up for a spiralling loose ball there would be a clash of heads between Scunthorpe defender Jean Belehouan and the Spitfires' Archie Harris leaving both players in a terrible state on the floor requiring medical assistance. After what felt like a lifetime of silence around the stadium, the referee would opt to do the only thing he could and abandon the fixture with all involved unsure of what comes next.

Of course, the result became the lowest priority on the evening although we are happy to report that both players have shown positive signs with both remaining responsive throughout.

We will provide supporters with what happens next following the games abandonment when we have more details.

IRON: Watson, Belehouan, Evans, Boyce, Whitehall (Beck 90+2), Roberts, Rowley, Ubaezuonu (Howe, 74), Ewing (Scales, 90+2), Chadwick (Beestin, 62), Denton

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Eze, Brogan, Dawson.