Following a midweek draw with Boreham Wood the Iron would look to continue their unbeaten start to the Enterprise National League season with a trip to fellow strong starters Southend United, with a win for either side proving crucial as the league standings begin to take shape for the campaign.
There were two changes for the Iron ahead of the game, firstly with Oli Ewing returning from injury. He was inducted back into the starting XI ahead of the versatile Kian Scales who dropped to the alternates. Elsewhere there was one final change to the Scunthorpe attack as Hull City loanee Ty Sellars-Fleming was named in the line-up, replacing the inform Declan Howe. Forward Danny Whitehall was originally set to start but fell ill in the build-up to kick-off.
After a minute’s silence prior to the start of proceedings the Iron would get the game underway at Roots Hall and immediately found themselves under a wave of Seasiders pressure, with the Scunthorpe defence forced into some routine clearances.
With United looking to compose themselves they would create the games first opportunity with some promising attacking play down the flanks. With Sellars-Fleming doing well to get round the outside of the Southend defence, he would swing an instinctive cross to the back post where Cal Roberts was waiting to swing his boot, forcing goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi into an impressive diving stop to diffuse the attack.
Despite the hosts having the majority of possession in the opening 15 minutes the Iron were certainly getting the rub of the green when it came to chances and would create two promising attacks in quick succession. Firstly, it would be Sellars-Fleming again who found space on the right and when he received the ball from Joey Dawson, he would sting an effort towards Andeng Ndi that had the goalkeeper scrambling as a deflection carried the ball around the far post.
From the resulting corner Roberts would come the closest yet to opening when a loose ball rebounded to him on the edge of the Southend penalty area, providing Scunthorpe’s number ten with all the time he needed to pick his spot with a powerful drive at goal that struck the outside of the goalkeeper’s frame before cannoning back into play.
The Seasiders would go on to have their own chances as the half progressed and really should’ve take the lead when a counterattacking move allowed Andrew Dallas to break down the channel and carry the ball towards the area. With options in support of him, Dallas would look to pull the ball back for the untraced run of Oli Coker on the edge of the box and the midfielder would’ve surely given his team the lead if not for the sliding intervention of Joe Starbuck to turn the ball away from goal.
Southend would look to build on this opportunity to break the deadlock and if only Dallas had been better with his decision making, they would’ve surely done so. Somehow bearing down on goal with a two on one scenario, the forward opt for the selfish root of going for his own glory, something that he would regret as the dominant Will Evans would guess correctly to perform a stunning recovery challenge, putting an end to the attack.
As half-time approached the Iron were defending valiantly to avoid conceding with what had been an end-to-end encounter quickly turning into backs against the wall. After what felt like a never ending spell of attacks, the Seasiders would work the ball wide looking to cross into the congested penalty area, the delivery was pinpointed to the head of defender Harry Taylor who managed to flick the ball goalwards, only for it to drop marginally wide of the target despite the cheers of fans who thought it had nestled in the corner.
This would be the final notable action of an entertaining first half at Roots Hall. In midweek Andy Butler’s half-time team talk seemed to have worked wonders and it would seem to have a repeat effect this afternoon when Scunthorpe came out looking hungry for the opener.
It wouldn’t take long for United to get the all-important first goal and they would do so in spectacular fashion through Alfie Beestin. After the initial attack was swept away by the hosts, Beestin would react quickest to the second ball creating something from seemingly nothing on the edge of the area, with a swift touch and volley combo that had the perfect amount of power and direction to take the ball beyond Andeng Ndi and into the bottom corner.
With the game now in their hands the Iron would go on to almost immediately expand on it by putting their purple patch to good use. After picking up possession inside their own half Scunthorpe would flood forward in numbers, threading together some neat passing play to release Dawson down the middle. Dawsons’ eventual pass to Roberts was timed to perfection, allowing the winger to square the ball across for the run of Sellars-Fleming who produced the fishing touch to put the ball home for 2-0.
Having been ahead on many occasions this season the Iron would have a task on their hands to prevent Southend getting back into the game made even tougher by the bombardment that was due to come their way.
Despite their attacking persistence the Seasiders were still coming undone defensively with Scunthorpe looking eager to expand on their lead. Roberts was truly in the swing of things following his assist and should’ve really added a goal to his name when a nightmare error from Andeng Ndi saw the goalkeeper roll it straight into the feet of Roberts 25 yards from the target. With the keeper stranded on the edge of his area, Roberts would attempt to place the ball over his head and into the top corner, only for his effort to drop marginally wide of the far post.
As time went by the Iron were still looking comfortable and were doing a sublime job of holding off the desperate Shrimpers. This was until left-back Harry Boyes would exploit a gap in the Scunthorpe defence with a direct run into the penalty area with the ball under his spell, with space to shoot Boyes would lash his effort goalwards with the combined effort of Watson and Denton denying the effort with a sensational save come block.
With the fixture in its dying embers and United mere minutes away from a fantastic victory they would be presented with the chance to put the tie to bed when a defensive mix up allowed substitute Howe to steal possession, nutmeg the covering defender and steam clean through on goal. As he steadied himself to pick his type of finish, Howe had possibly too much time on his hands as the goalkeeper spread himself well to get down and steal the ball from off of the strikers’ toes.
This would be the final highlight of the fixture with the Iron making it an astonishing ten games unbeaten levelling their club record, but with York City up next breaking it is going to be no easy task.
IRON: Watson, Evans, Boyce, Beestin (Horton, 90), Roberts (Ubaezuonu, 90), Rowley, Sellars-Fleming (Scales, 70), Ewing (Belehouan, 70), Starbuck, Dawson (Howe, 62), Denton.
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Beck, Chadwick.
ATTENDANCE: 8,185 (275 away)
REFEREE: Elliott Swallow
