Report: Southend 1-0 Iron

Following an opening-day point at the Attis Arena against Yeovil Town, the Iron would be on the road for the first time this season this afternoon as they travelled to an old foe in the form of Southend United, looking to establish a first victory of the season over Kieran Dyer’s Shrimpers.

With regards to the United line-up for the afternoon, there were to be four changes. Firstly, Branden Horton comes into the side at left-back for Tyler Denton, who misses out through injury. Elsewhere, a change on the opposite flank as right-back Ross Barrows drops to the bench for the returning Reagan Ogle and James Gale is given his first start after an impressive opening-day cameo off the bench, slotting into the Scunthorpe midfield in place of Joe Rowley. Finally, Striker Danny Whitehall drops out of the squad, seeing last weekend's goalscorer, Luke Brennan, inducted into the starting XI, allowing for Declan Howe to lead the United line.

When proceedings were set underway at Roots Hall, both outfits would make a promising start to the fixture with early ventures into their opponents' half.

After an energetic opening five minutes, the first opportunity of the game would fall Scunthorpe’s way as Alfie Beestin, who won Scunthorpe’s Goal of the Season award in the fixture the previous year, came close with an almost replica volley from the edge of the area, catching a looping ball sweetly as his effort narrowly evaded the upright of goalkeeper Joe Duncan’s sticks.

As the half progressed, Scunthorpe were being made to sit back and defend against the Shrimpers’ intricate passing. However, they were still looking lively on the counterattack, especially when Dec Howe carried the ball up field following a corner before laying possession off for Pat Jones in the area, who had a golden chance to give his team the lead but saw his low shot well saved by Duncan, who produced a stop with an outstretched leg.

With the hosts in control of the game’s possession, they would test Louis Jones for the first time on 15 minutes as former Braintree Town loanee Sahid Kamara, who received the ball on the edge of the area from his right flank partner Vontae Daley-Campbell before driving the ball towards the target and forcing Louis Jones into an impressive reflex save to push the ball clear.

It seemed only a matter of time before the warning signs from the hosts came to the game’s opener, and it eventually would do just that as Kamara released Striker Harry Cardwell into the penalty area, forcing a low stop out of Jones to deny the initial effort, but the loose ball would fall into the path of the unmarked Josh Popoola at the far stick who tapped the ball home to make it 1-0.

With little to report for the remainder of the first period following the opening goal, Scunthorpe would have one last chance before the break as some determined forward play from Jones off the right-hand side allowed him to drive in on his weaker left foot and sting a ferocious effort towards the target that failed to trouble Duncan as it cleared the crossbar.

Following the half-time break that saw United alter their formation in order to try and push towards an equaliser, a vastly improved second-period display was required if they were to get anything from the encounter.

After the restart, it would take until the 58th minute for either side to test one another as Kamara was again causing problems for the Scunthorpe defence, working the ball into the area but yet more direct running before rattling an effort into the side netting from a tight angle that at first glance appeared to have crept in.

United’s first attack of the half would come following a series of alterations, as one of which, Jacob Butterfield, would play a quick free-kick to slide Pat Jones down the right-flank, driving a low cross straight across the face of goal and narrowly evading the run of Howe in the area who was just inches away from tapping home to tie up the scores.

Despite Scunthorpe requiring a goal, the encounter still remained in the hands of the hosts who looked hungry for a second. Cardwell was having an impressive game for the Shrimpers and very well could’ve added a goal to top off his performance when a loose ball fell to him in the area, presenting him with the chance to try and beat Louis Jones from close range, who made himself big to block the shot on its way to goal.

With Cardwell substituted after this action, the next opportunity would fall to his replacement as Charley Kendall rushed through beyond the United defence, driving towards the onrushing Jones, who helplessly watched the striker whip the ball beyond him, sending the ball curling towards the bottom corner just for it to crash against the inside of the post and bounce across the face of goal before being swept clear.

With that, the referee would bring the game to its end, signalling a first defeat of the season for United and a deserved victory for the hosts.

IRON: L. Jones, Horton, Evans, C. Howe, D.Howe, Beestin, Brennan (Butterfield, 58), P. Jones (Hurst, 84), Richards (Rowley, 66), Ogle (Belehouan, 66), Gale (Parker, 58)

IRON SUBS: Campbell, Barrows

ATTENDANCE: 8,613 (344 Away)

REFEREE: Stephen Parkinson