Report: Spalding United 2-2 Iron

Unbeaten in their opening three pre-season encounters, the Iron would today face their toughest test to date when they took on a Spalding United side managed by former Scunthorpe boss Jimmy Dean, whose Tulips side came into the 2026-27 season fresh off the back of a first-ever promotion to step 2. 

With regard to the United team news for the afternoon, first-team manager Andy Butler would utilise his squad in a 60/30 minute split just as he had done against Skegness Town in his team's previous fixture. With several Iron players missing from action with minor injuries, it was to be a chance for others to step up in their place and nail down a starting position with just a few weeks remaining until the season's start date. 

When proceedings were set underway at the Sir Halley Stewart Field, Scunthorpe would find themselves under an onslaught of early pressure from their hosts, who started the fixture with all guns blazing. 

Despite this wave of early attacks from Spalding, it would be the Iron who created the game's first opportunity when a long diagonal pass from the back saw James Gale race beyond the Tulip's defence to meet it, bearing down on goal before being clattered by the goalkeeper. However, it seemed that the keeper's touch on the ball did enough to ensure it wasn’t a penalty.

With 17 minutes on the clock, Scunthorpe goalkeeper Louis Jones would be called into action for the first time when talented forward Jack Roberts drove to the byline before lashing the ball across the face of goal, forcing Jones to leap down to push the ball away from goal to keep the scores level. 

Despite some half chances, the Iron would have to wait until the 29th minute to test their opposite defence again, and when they did so, it would result in the game's opening goal. After some sensational solo play to work a yard of space in a wide area, Welshman Pat Jones would hand a delightful cross up to the back post, where Will Evans would be waiting to power the ball beyond Peter Crook for his third goal in four games. 

In the minutes that followed the hosts would look to make an immediate response when former Iron winger Dion Sembie-Ferris raced down the left-flank with electric pace, bearing down on the Scunthorpe goal before being crucially forced to chop back by the recovering Cal Howe who managed to get himself in a position to block DSF’s low shot preserving his teams lead as the ball rolled into the hands of Louis Jones. 

With United starting to go up through the gears prior to the half-time break, they would have a series of chances to extend their lead. Firstly, through Danny Whitehall, who after some patient build-up play found space to receive possession on the edge of the Tulip's penalty area, touching, turning and unleashing a finessed effort toward the far post that dipped narrowly over the crossbar.

The next attack from Butler’s boys would see Scunthorpe coast to coast through Pat Jones, seizing the chance to hit his opponents on the counterattack with a deadly forward run that almost had the finish to match, driving a low effort narrowly wide of the far post with an effort that had Crook and the rest of the Spalding defence well beaten.  

With half-time just a matter of moments away the Iron would finally find the second goal they were looking for and it would come in fantastic creative fashion from right-back Ross Barrows who, from just outside his own half, would catch Crook off guard given already committed to trying to catch the incoming cross, firing a snapshot towards the target that was unstoppable for the scrambling Crook, finding the back of the net despite a strong hand from the keeper. 

Following the half-time break, United would look to expand on their advantage in the early exchanges of the second period. However, they were receiving resistance from the hosts, who looked intent on finding a route back into the fixture. 

After 15 minutes of very little action to report, Spalding would find the breakthrough they desired to kickstart their comeback when a teasing run from Roberts down the right allowed him to cross the ball into a dangerous area for Sembie-Ferris to attack, steering the ball home from close range to reduce the deficit to one. 

Despite Scunthorpe’s 60-minute alterations as scheduled, there was nothing that the fresh legs of United could do to stop the Tulips charge towards an equaliser, as, within minutes the first they would draw the scores level again as on this occasion it was former Peterborough Sports man Dan Jarvis who latched onto a pinpoint delivery from danger man Roberts to knock the ball beyond Maison Campbell for 2-2.

Following the equaliser, the hosts would continue to make it difficult for the Iron as they pushed forward to complete the comeback. United, however, were defending valiantly with their backs to the wall but could’ve very well found themselves behind if not for the intervention of Campbell, who was forced into an impressive diving save to deny Ben Fowkes goal bound drive from the left of the area, with the rebound deflected over the crossbar.

With the encounter into it’s last ten minutes of action, Scunthorpe would create an opportunity to almost certainly win the fixture when a well worked corner kick routine opened up a pocket of space for Alfie Beestin to operate on the edge of the Tulips penalty area, sending an instinctive first time effort looping towards the target, catching the back pedalling goalkeeper off guard as the ball cleared the crossbar and nestled on the roof of the net.

With what would be the games last action at the Sir Halley Stewart Stadium, Spalding would have one final chance to win the encounter when some sensational wing play for Roberts again allowed for another cross into the danger area that found the run of Sembie-Ferris just yards out from the target, but the ball would come simply to fast for the forward to adjust his feet as he somehow managed to send his effort spiralling over the bar.

Following this opportunity, referee Luke Hood would call an end to a game of two halves that ultimately was unable to be decided. However, it was more valuable minutes in the tank against National League North opposition, with yet another stern step two test in the form of Buxton FC coming up on Tuesday night for Scunthorpe.

IRON: L. Jones (Campbell, 45), Evans (Belehouan, 60), C. Howe (Butterfield, 60), Whitehall (Beestin, 60), Rowley, P. Jones (Smith, 60), Hurst, Richards, Gale (Howe, 60), Denton (Shipstone, 55), Barrows (Ali, 55).

ATTENDANCE: TBC

REFEREE: Luke Hood