Report: North Ferriby 3-6 Iron

Following a weekend of action that saw two Iron squads take on Barnsley and Leeds United U21’s in respective fixtures across back-to-back days, Andy Butler’s side would continue their pre-season preparations by venturing across the North side of the bridge in order to face Northern Premier League side North Ferriby FC.

With this encounter being Scunthorpe’s penultimate pre-season fixture, Butler would aim to provide his players with 45 minutes of action each at the Versa Sportswear Stadium, fielding two different XI’s to take on the Villagers in preparation for his sides final fixture against League Two side Chesterfield FC on Friday evening.

When proceedings were set underway by the travelling Iron, Scunthorpe would look to establish an early dominance over their opponents with a period of sustained possession inside the Villagers half that would result in the game’s opening goal within the opening ten minutes.

After some well worked play to oscillate the ball to the right-flank, United would fire the ball out wide into the feet of wing-back Joe Starbuck, who would set himself before swinging a delightful delivery towards the back post for the unmarked Luke Brennan to attack inside the area, heading the ball beyond goalkeeper Jonathan Dash to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Within minutes of opening the scoring, the link up of Starbuck and Brennan would strike again as the latter doubled his account for the evening. On this occasion it would be a low cross by Starbuck to unlock the North Ferriby defence as the ball fizzed across the face of goal and into the path of Brennan who drove it home from but a matter of yards to make it a quick fire double for Scunthorpe. 

United were playing some free-flowing football to begin the encounter and this would show no sign of slowing down as they added a third goal within the opening 20 minutes of action. After some intense pressing from Kyle Hurst to force a mistake out of Dash, possession would fall kindly into the path of Jacob Butterfield on the edge of the Villagers area, allowing him to power the ball into an empty net for his second goal in as many games this pre-season.

In what had been an action packed opening 25 minutes, the hosts would manage to reduce the deficit to two goals when a long ball down the right flank allowed Charlie Carlisle to chop inside Tyler Denton before advancing into the penalty area, firing a low driven effort towards the bottom corner that appeared to be heading wide of the mark until the intervention of Jake Day saw him slide in to poke the ball home to make it 3-1.

With the hosts looking for a second goal to help inspire a comeback, Scunthorpe goalkeeper Maison Campbell would be forced into action to protect his sides lead when again Carlisle threatened, receiving the ball on the edge of the area before firing an effort back across goal, but Campbell was equal to the effort, readjusting his feet just in time to get down low and tip it around the post. 

Despite conceding three goals already to this point the North Ferriby goalkeeper was having a standout performance and Dash would be called into action again to aid his side when Hurst received possession 20 yards from the target, rifling an effort towards the top corner that was brilliantly kept out of the net by an outstanding stop to push the ball clear of the target. 

With the half-time break fast approaching at the formerly known Dransfield Stadium, United would be rewarded for their attacking persistence as on this occasion Brennan unselfishly turned to provider, working the ball along the byline before pulling possession back into the path of Hurst who dispatched the ball into the corner to present his side with a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Following a half-time break that saw the Iron introduce their second half XI to the fray, Scunthorpe would refuse to take their foot off the gas in the early exchanges of the second period as within minutes of the restart Oli Rose would have a golden chance to strengthen his teams advantage when the ball fell to him on the edge of the North Ferriby area, allowing him to drive the ball towards the bottom corner of the target, narrowly placing his effort wide of the mark.

Despite this chance going a miss it wouldn’t take long for the Iron to trouble the Villagers defence again as on the 50th minute mark Pat Jones would produce a sensational piece of solo play to score United’s 5th, chopping inside of his maker on the left flank before lashing the ball beyond the well beaten Dash who stood no chance of denying the effort as it nestled in the bottom corner.

With half an hour remaining in the encounter the former Alfreton Town forward Day would provide a second for the hosts as a long ball over the top of the Scunthorpe defence allowed for a sublime first touch to bring the ball under the spell of the target man before striking a volleyed effort beyond the grasp of Louis Jones, reducing Scunthorpe’s lead to three. 

In the minutes that followed this opportunity there would be another chance for the Villagers to get themselves back into the fixture as a deep free kick into the Iron area was won by Day, knocking the first contact down into the path of Josh Thacker on the goal line, tapping home from close range to make it 5-3.

Despite a quick fire double from the hosts to put themselves within touching distance of United once again, Scunthorpe were still in immediate control of the fixture, creating numerous chances through James Gale and Danny Whitehall, including a remarkable effort from the latter with just over 70 played when he swivelled past his marker 25 yards from goal before stinging a long-ranged effort towards the target that would’ve been destined for the top corner if not for a slight nick off a North Ferriby defender that diverted the ball just over the crossbar.

With 81 minutes played at the Versa Sportswear Stadium, the Iron would put the game to bed in clinical fashion after two initial effort from Gale were both equally matched by Dash between the goalposts, parrying the ball back into the path of Rose who chopped the ball past an oncoming defender before lifting an effort over the head of the goalkeeper who could only parry it into the net.

As the encounter entered its final moments there would be one final chance for the Iron to add to their lead when Jones was threaded in behind the Villagers defence, beating the offside trap before advancing into the penalty area, looking to slide the ball beyond Dash but instead narrowly trickling his effort wide of the target.

With this the referee Mike Robinson would call time on proceedings, marking the end of a nine goal thriller that saw Scunthorpe put on an impressive attacking display against their Northern Premier League opponents, coming out worthy 6-3 winners in their penultimate pre-season encounter.

IRON FIRST HALF XI: Campbell, Belehouan, Evans, D. Howe, Beestin, Brennan, Hurst, Richards, Starbuck, Butterfield, Denton.

IRON SECOND HALF XI: L. Jones, Rose, Horton, C. Howe, Whitehall, Rowley, P. Jones, Smith, Ogle, Gale, Barrows.

UNUSED SUBSTITUTE: Harry Shipstone

ATTENDANCE: 402

REFEREE: Mike Robinson

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