Following just their fourth defeat of the season at the hands of Carlisle United in midweek, Scunthorpe were looking to bounce back as quickly as possible with the visit of fellow Lincolnshire side Boston United on the cards. The Pilgrims entered the game in red-hot form under the newly appointed manager and former United manager, Paul Hurst, having won their last three games in the Enterprise National League.
With regards to United’s team news for the afternoon, there was to be a double change for the Iron as defender Joe Starbuck came back into the Starting XI, replacing Ross Barrows on the right side of the Iron's defensive unit. Elsewhere, Scotsman Connor Smith was inducted into the Starting XI for his first start in the league since joining the club permanently from Hamilton Academicals, whilst fellow forward Aidan Dausch dropped to the alternates.
When the game was set underway at the Attis Arena, Scunthorpe would be slammed under pressure almost immediately by their opponents as the Pilgrims mounted an early charge, pinning United in their own half.
With this early onslaught in mind, it was no surprise that Boston would take the lead within the opening seven minutes through danger man Tom Cursons. With Scunthorpe trying to shepherd the ball out of play on the far side, Boston would somehow snatch possession and cross the ball into the unmarked Cursons in the centre, allowing the former Harrogate forward to nod the ball beyond Rory Mahady to make it 1-0.
In an attempt to make an immediate response, Scunthorpe would come forward with intensity, looking for an equaliser. With a big diagonal switch on seemingly every time, the ball would be sprayed out to Cal Roberts on the right, allowing the winger to skip beyond his marker with a progressive touch forward and provide a shot towards the bottom corner that forced goalkeeper Andrew Wogan into a strong reaction save to push the ball away.
With 20 minutes on the clock, the Pilgrims would go again from a cross, this time a well-worked floated corner to the edge of the box, into former Grimsby man Matty Carson. Taking a touch to settle himself on the edge of the area, Carson would produce a goal of the season contender of a strike into the top corner, rocketing a half-volley into the sanction from 20 yards.
They say things happen in there’s, and on this occasion, it would be bad things for the Iron as Boston would make the most of their momentum to go 3-0 up mere minutes after their second. Another cross from the byline would make its way into the mixer for Derby County loanee Jake Rooney to attack. Getting up the highest in the area, Rooney would power the ball towards the bottom corner, with Rory Mahady unable to bat the ball away from goal before it was able to cross the line.
In what had been an action-packed first period, there was still more to come in the minutes that followed the quick-fire Boston double, as Scunthorpe drew one back from out of the blue. Again, it was the diagonal ball that aided United as Roberts was able to do what he does best, bring possession under his spell and drive towards the Boston defence before wrapping the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Wogan with no chance.
With the Iron looking to mount a fight back before the half-time whistle, they would begin a positive surge up the pitch following the goal they got back. However, Boston would take advantage of this from a set-play, winning it on the counter and again managing to float the ball towards the back post for Rooney to attack, which he would do with ease as he nodded the ball beyond Mahady to make it 4-1 inside the first half.
With half-time on the horizon, the Iron would again be handed a lifeline in the encounter when they were awarded a first penalty of the afternoon when Whitehall was hauled down to the ground in the area off the ball. Stepping up to take the spot kick himself, Whitehall would make no mistake from the spot, dispatching the ball past Wogan and sending him the wrong way to reduce the deficit to two.
A much-improved second-half display was required if the Iron were to take anything away from the fixture, and they would return to the field of play with a couple of pairs of fresh legs on the pitch with the introduction of Alfie Beestin and Dausch at the break.
One of these newly introduced alternations would get straight into the action when Beestin reacted quickest to a loose ball on the edge of the area, stinging the ball towards the bottom corner with a well struck strike that beat the scrambling Wogan, although the ball would crash against the inside of the post before being swept away from goal.
With Boston looking to shut down any avenue of a United comeback, they would make a perfect step in the right direction in 50 minutes when Cursons would get his second goal of the afternoon. Winning the ball back to begin a counter, Jordy Hiwula would carry the ball forward for the visitors before sliding his forward partner through on goal, allowing Cursons to dink the ball over the goalkeeper for 5-2.
Action would be in the Pilgrims’ half for the majority of the next 15 minutes as Scunthorpe searched frantically for a route back into the game. When Roberts was released down the right-hand side, he would find just what his team was looking for again as he chopped inside of his marker, forcing the defender to bring him down in the area to award United their second spot kick. On this occasion, Roberts would grab the ball and march towards the penalty spot, following in the footsteps of Whitehall as he fired the ball down the middle of the goal and past Wogan to make the game that little more interesting.
As time dragged on, United were leaving themselves exposed at the back as expected, while desperately looking to get another goal. However, the Iron would save on several occasions by Mahady, who produced some fine stops from close range to deny Ken Aboh, with two stops from close range in which he spread himself wide to narrow the target before deflecting the ball away from goal.
Mere minutes before the additional time was indicated, Scunthorpe would see another penalty appeal occur in the game when the ball was recycled out to Starbuck on the flank. Looking to whip the ball into the danger area, the wing-back would drive the ball into the Boston defender’s arm as he leapt to try and block the cross. Cries would ring out around the Attis Arena, although the appeals were waved away by referee Richard Aspinall.
As the game came to its closing stages, Boston would mark their deserved victory with an astonishing sixth, punishing Scunthorpe on the break as Cursons marched through on goal, bearing down one-on-one with the goalkeeper before firing the ball beneath him to cap off a fantastic afternoon and hat-trick for the forward, but equally a very disappointing defeat and display for United.
IRON: Mahady, Horton (Boyce, 90), Evans, Whitehall, Roberts, Rowley, Ewing (Beestin, 46), Starbuck, Westbrooke (Ubaezuonu, 65), Smith (Dausch, 46), Denton
IRON SUBS: Jones, Hurst, Barrows
ATTENDANCE: 5,421 (645 away)
REFEREE: Richard Aspinall
