Coming into the encounter on the back of a disappointing run of results, the Iron would face yet another tough encounter this afternoon as they welcome a Solihull Moors side to the Attis Arena, one that Scunthorpe had never managed to beat during their five previous fixtures.
With United still well cemented within the play-off positions, a positive result and performance were required to inspire some hope back into the team.
First team manager Andy Butler would make five changes for the encounter, starting with goalkeeper Louis Jones was inducted in between the sticks to replace Rory Mahady, defender Ross Barrows returned from a slight knock to regain his spot at right-back over Joe Starbuck, midfield maestro Oli Ewing came into the line-up instead of Alfie Beestin and finally, first starts were handed to loan duo Zain Tahir and Leo Farrell at respective ends of the pitch.
As proceedings got underway, the Iron would find themselves with some early defensive work to do as the hosts mounted an early offensive, with Jones called into action to deal with several crosses and balls over the top, which he did to good effect.
It would take until the 15th minute for the game’s first real chance, and with it came the first goal of the afternoon for the Moors. After a defensive mishap saw a turnover in possession in the middle of the pitch, Solihull would advance down the left, working the ball into the area for striker Connor Wilkinson, who stung an instinctive shot towards the target that nestled in the bottom corner.
With the deadlock broken, Scunthorpe would look for a route back to level and began to create their own series of chances, with Farrell impressing on debut with some neat pieces of footwork coupled with aggressive pressing.
The first time that the Iron would threaten their opponents would come in the 26th minute when a neat piece of build-up down the right flank allowed Ewing to pick up the ball on the edge of the area and use his low centre of gravity to escape from his marker, stinging his shot towards goal on the turn that caught a deflection in its path to goal, taking the sting out the ball and allowing Laurie Walker to smother it.
In the minutes that followed, United would go close again, this time from a corner kick, as the initial contact was cleared away to the edge of the area, it would fall kindly into the path of captain Andrew Boyce, allowing the skipper to lash the ball towards the target as he made a clean connection, sending the effort into the palms of Walker who sprang to push the ball clear brilliantly.
As the first half’s action drew to a close, the Moors would double their lead against the run of play with Wilkinson doubling his tally in sublime fashion. Receiving the ball on the halfway line, Wilkinson would glide through the United half far too easily as he rode several attempted tackles to work his way into a shooting position, firing the ball low and hard past Jones as it found the bottom corner.
This would be the final action of the first half as Scunthorpe yet again went in behind at the break, needing a statement second-half performance if they were going to make the comeback.
With the goal of a comeback in mind, the Iron would make the perfect start to the second period when they would claw a goal back through Danny Whitehall. After an initial corner ball was floated towards the far post area, Boyce would produce a fantastic header towards the bottom corner that was almost certain to cross the line, but there was Whitehall to make sure from a matter of yards by poking the ball home.
With United knocking on the door for an equaliser, their task was made slightly easier when the Moors were reduced to ten men with 54 minutes on the clock. After seemingly allowing play to go on, the referee, Abigail Byrne, would catch a glimpse of an off-the-ball elbow on Whitehall by Solihull defender Tyler French. And confirming with her assistant, Byrne would show French a deserved red card, but instead of giving the penalty, she would award a free-kick against Whitehall.
With half an hour remaining, the Iron would have a golden opportunity to level the scores as yet again a cross into the box bore fruit. Again, it was Boyce with the header back across the goal, finding the head of Joe Rowley to put back into the path of Whitehall, who just misjudged the placement of his penalty as he nodded the ball marginally wide of the target from close range.
Despite wave after wave of constant Scunthorpe attack, it would take until the 79th minute for United to draw level when Whitehall grabbed his second goal of the day. After Roberts sensationally skipped round his marker and got to the by-line, the winger would drive the ball low into the area for Whitehall to nick in front of his marker and prod the ball home to make it all square.
Now Butler’s boys were in a complete flow state, moving the ball with serious intent of finding a third, which they would achieve through that man again, the hat-trick hero, Whitehall. Channelling his inner Peter Beagrie, Roberts would chop and change direction several times to beat his marker Cameron Green in the penalty area, allowing him just enough space to lift the ball into the six-yard box for Whitehall, who volleyed the ball past Walker with an emphatic finish to give his team the lead.
With eight minutes of added time indicated, Scunthorpe’s hard work would be pegged back in the fifth minute of this time, as Moors reacted quickest to get their equaliser in what had been their first attack of the half. It was Coventry City loanee Isaac Moore with the strike as he powered home the second contact from a corner ball to earn a point for Solihull.
Despite dropping two points in the final moments, it was a much-improved second-half performance from the Iron, who will be looking to build on this point going into March.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Boyce, Whitehall (Ubaezuonu, 90+3), Roberts (Starbuck, 90+3), Rowley (Dausch, 65), Tahir (Smith, 74), Ewing, Westbrooke, Farrell (Beestin, 74), Barrows.
IRON SUBS: Mahady, Denton.
ATTENDANCE: 4,230 (108 away)
REFEREE: Abigail Byrne
