With four league wins in their previous five games prior to the annual Easter weekend fixtures, Scunthorpe would come into this afternoon’s encounter with play-off hopefuls Hartlepool United looking to avoid defeat against Nicky Featherstone’s side to confirm their position in the play-off positions for the third consecutive season.
With regards to the Iron’s team news for the afternoon, there were to be two changes, as firstly Will Evans was awarded his first start since his return from injury, granting club captain Andrew Boyce a well-earned rest as he dropped to the bench. Elsewhere, there was an alteration amongst the Scunthorpe midfield three as Alfie Beestin came into the starting XI for holding man Joe Rowley.
When proceedings got underway at the Attis Arena, it was a scrappy start for both teams, as neither side could get a foothold early on, forcing possession to change hands countless times.
Astonishingly, it would take 34 minutes of almost complete and utter dominance for the Iron to create the game’s first opportunity, and it would come from a free kick in a promising area when Cal Roberts was caught on the edge of the box. Standing over the free kick would be United’s attacking double act, Roberts and Danny Whitehall, and it would be the latter who stepped up to the plate as Whitehall attempted to whip the ball around the wall, sending goalkeeper Nick Hayes scrambling across his goal line to try and deny the effort. However, it would nestle just wide of the target.
Following this chance, the Iron would ramp up their offence in search of the game’s opening goal and very nearly found it with Whitehall looking dangerous. After some neat interplay from United to recycle a corner back out to Roberts on the left flank, the wide-man would swing a delightful cross into the area for Whitehall to attack, directing a header on target that forced a sublime reaction save out of Hayes, who sprang across to push the ball away.
The last action of the first half would see one last half-chance for the Iron go a miss when Zain Westbrooke steamed onto a bouncing ball on the edge of the Pools’ penalty area, driving a volley towards the target that would take a deflection its way to goal; narrowly evading Jean Belehouan at the back post as Hayes dived on top of the loose ball.
This would bring the opening period of the game to an end, and when the sides returned to the field of play for the second half, the theme of the Iron being in control would continue.
Despite United taking the game by the scruff of the neck, the first opportunity of the newly born half would come for the visitors. Mere seconds after kick-off, the ball would break loose in the centre of the Scunthorpe half, allowing for a Pools midfielder to unleash a speculative looping effort that appeared to catch Louis Jones off guard between the sticks, backpedalling as he shepherded the volley over the crossbar.
With 58 minutes played, the Iron were still struggling to break down the Pools’ defence despite their high possession numbers, resorting to efforts from range of their own when Branden Horton received the ball 25 yards out before driving the ball towards the target, although the shot had just a little too much curve as it swung the wrong way, narrowly evading the post.
As Scunthorpe continued to knock on the door, they would be unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty by referee Aaron Bannister, as it appeared that Declan John’s shove on Belehouan in the area to stop the right-back from getting to the ball was enough to result in a spot kick, but not by the ruling of the official, who waved away the claims.
With 90 minutes on the clock and the pitch beginning to open up as tired bodies were showing, the Iron would have a golden opportunity to win all three points when Roberts worked his magic on the right to fashion an opening. Chopping and changing into the area, Roberts would slot the ball into the path of the substitute Connor Smith in a promising area, although the Scotsman would snatch at his effort, dragging it wide of the left-hand post.
As is so often the case, there is always one more chance in football, and on this occasion, it would be the visitors who should’ve taken all three points with the last kick of the game. Breaking into the United half with intent for what felt like the first time of the game, Hartlepool would work the ball down the left flank, slipping Tyrese Sinclair into the area, allowing him to tee the ball up on a plate for talisman forward Alex Reid in the centre of the box, who somehow managed to miss his chance from a matter of yards, driving the ball into the crossbar just when the winner had looked certain.
Shortly after the final whistle would sound, signalling Scunthorpe’s place in the play-off confirmed for the 2025/26 season, a monumental achievement for a newly promoted side and with points still to play for in the four remaining games, United can now turn their heads to the hunt for fourth place.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Belehouan (Barrows 90+5), Evans, Beestin (Howe, 60), Whitehall, Roberts, Jones (Smith, 80), Ewing, Westbrooke, Denton
IRON SUBS: Mahady, Boyce, Rowley, Dausch
REFEREE: Aaron Bannister
ATTENDANCE: 5,503 (613 away)
