Following an impressive performance against League Leaders Rochdale in midweek, the Iron would return to action this afternoon for a highly anticipated clash with play-off hopefuls FC Halifax Town. The Shaymen came into the encounter looking for a statement victory, whereas United were hoping to all but confirm their play-off position with a win.
First team manager Andy Butler would opt for the same Starting XI from their draw with Dale, the only alteration would come on the bench as Forward Dec Howe came into the side to replace the inform Leo Farrell, who had returned to his parent club Barnsley in midweek, making way for Howe to return from his loan spell at fellow National League side Altrincham.
United would start proceedings brightly with the sun gleaming down on the Shay, aiming to unsettle the hosts in their own backyard. Despite this, it was Halifax who had the first chance of the fixture as a route one ball over the top caught the Scunthorpe defence off guard, leaving former Iron striker Will Harris one-on-one with Louis Jones. With time to pick his finish, Harris would attempt a slotted shot towards the bottom corner, although Jones was equal to the shot by getting down low to palm it away.
In response to this chance, Scunthorpe would begin to mount relentless attacking inroads into their opponents’ final third, sustaining pressure in what would lead to the game’s opening goal in the 11th minute. As former Scunthorpe loanee Will Smith chased a bouncing ball back towards his own goal, an attempted pass back to Shaymen goalkeeper Sam Johnson was sold miles short, inviting Pat Jones to latch onto the ball, knocking it beyond Johnson before depositing the ball into the open net for 1-0.
In the minutes that followed Jones’ opening his account for the club, the wide man would have a golden opportunity for his second. After some impressive build-up play to construct the move, possession would be fired into Cal Roberts on the halfway mark, splitting Halifax’s high line with a single first-time pass for the run of Jone in behind. With Johnson hesitant to leave his line and to meet the Welshman, Jones would attempt to take it round the goalkeeper for his second, although the Shaymen’s skipper dived down brilliantly to dispossess.
The encounter’s next action would see the hosts rewarded for their persistence in the game despite being behind, levelling up the scores in the simplest of fashions. After a quick throw was taken on the far side, Centre-back Shaun Hobson would whip a delightful cross into the area that was instantly pinpointed to the head of leading goal scorer Harris, who made it look easy by glancing his header past Louis Jones for the equaliser.
As the half progressed, the Iron would look to regain their advantage through some fantastic interplay throughout the thirds, and very nearly did so if not for the intervention of Johnson between the sticks. With Scunthorpe’s two former Welsh youth internationals combining from off the left, Jones would slot the ball into the path of Oli Ewing on the edge of the Halifax area. Opting to go alone from a promising area, Ewing would whip the ball to the goalkeeper’s right, forcing the keeper into a crucial save to deny and push the ball away.
This would prove to be the last notable action of the first half as the teams retreated down the tunnel after what was a well-contested opening 45 minutes; In a game that had the potential to swing either way in the second period.
When play restarted, the game’s tempo was the polar opposite of that of the first, as both teams were clearly struggling to adapt to the circumstances of the second period.
Astonishingly, it would take until the 69th minute for the half’s first opportunity, and it would be Iron substitute, Dec Howe, who was threaded through on the right side of the area with his very first touch. With a touch to steady himself in the box, Howe would dink the ball over the onrushing Johnson, but his effort had just too much curl as it drifted wide of the post.
Despite the hosts responding with a chance of their own, Scunthorpe were now in control of the fixture and were pushing towards their second goal of the afternoon. The closest that United would come would see Roberts with a golden opportunity when he was sent racing through on goal courtesy of a fantastic through ball by Roberts. Similar to Jones in the first-half, Johnson would hesitate to come off his line, forcing Roberts to try and ark the ball into the far corner, but Johnson was more than equal to the task with a strong save to push the ball around the post.
At this stage in proceedings, it seemed like there was only one team that would go on to win it, and although the Iron had a goal disallowed from a corner mere minute earlier for a foul on Johnson, the winner would be found from another set-piece.
After Roberts broke away yet again into the final third, he would be seemingly stripped in the penalty area by the recovering Dylan Crowe. Although perhaps a soft foul to be awarded, United would be in pure disbelief as the referee signalled for a free kick when the contact had almost certainly taken place inside the area. From the resulting free-kick, Roberts would stand over the ball and whip a sensational cross to the back post for Howe to attack, guiding his header past the goalkeeper in order to kickstart pandemonium amongst the travelling fans.
With the lead intact once more there would be no stopping United is time, with Butler’s boys defending valiantly throughout the remainder of the contest to see out the win, seeing off the Shaymen’s threats and confirming a well-earned three points.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Belehouan, Boyce, Whitehall (Beestin, 85), Roberts (Dausch, 90+2), Rowley, Jones (Evans, 85), Ewing (Howe, 65), Westbrooke, Denton
IRON SUBS: Mahady, Smith, Barrows
REFEREE: Declan Bourne
ATTENDANCE: 2,910 (1,414 Away)
