Report: Iron 1-2 Sutton United

Following a dominant second-half display during United’s 3-0 victory over Yeovil Town last time out in the Enterprise National League, the Iron would look for a repeat performance this evening when they welcomed a struggling Sutton United side to the Attis Arena, who came into the encounter off the back of a 5-0 thumping at the hands of relegation rivals Morecambe.

With regards to Andy Butler’s squad selection for the fixture, there would be just a single change to the starting XI as defender Joe Starbuck came back into the line-up for Ross Barrows, who dropped to the bench. Elsewhere, mere hours after signing for the club, new signing Pat Jones was inducted into the squad on the bench along with Jean Belehouan, who came into the squad to act as the 18th man.

With proceedings underway at the Attis Arena, it would be a nervy start to the fixture for both sides as play changed hands within almost every two passes. Given this, it wouldn’t be until nearly the 20-minute mark that the game would see its first half chance.

After winning the ball back in the middle of the park, Starbuck would look to kickstart an instant attack for United with a threaded through ball into Cal Roberts on the edge of the area, who was hauled down from behind to present Scunthorpe with a brilliant free-kick opportunity. With Roberts set to take the free kick himself, he would look to ark a finessed effort towards the top corner that bounced off the top of the wall before spiralling into the path of Andrew Boyce, who only just failed to get his head onto the ball at the back post as it spun away from goal.

In what had been a lacklustre half of football under the lights, the Iron would have one final chance to break the deadlock before the break, and it would be a golden one at that when Connor Smith pounced on a loose pass from the visitors to go steaming through on goal. With just the keeper to beat, but the recovering Kwaku Donkor in hot pursuit, Smith would slightly snatch at his effort, dragging it marginally wide of the far post despite having the goalkeeper beaten.

With this, the first half would come to an end with the game still hanging in the balance. However, it was no secret that a much-improved performance was required from Scunthorpe if they were going to push towards a victory.

Straight from the restart, the Iron would be pegged back unexpectedly as the visiting Yellows went from front to back to score the game’s opening goal. In what was a cunning counter, Jermaine Francis would be sent steaming through on goal, one-on-one with Louis Jones. As he reached the penalty area, a heavy touch would send the ball clattering into Jones before falling kindly into the path of Osman Foyo to smash the ball into the empty goal.

Despite falling behind in the game, Scunthorpe wouldn’t take long to level the scores in the game’s very next action. After a deep cross into the box found the leap of Andrew Boyce at the far post, the captain would head the ball against the crossbar, leading to the ball dropping down into the path of Branden Horton at the back post, who nodded the ball back across goal for Whitehall to tap home from a matter of yards.

From this moment on their appeared to be a bit more life about the hosts’ performance, attacking in numbers as they searched for the goal that would put them ahead.

With less than half an hour remaining, Scunthorpe would try their luck at finding the goal they desired with a series of efforts from range, as both Roberts and Zain Westbrooke tried respective shots that were almost identical, both well struck, yet well caught by the goalkeeper Jack Sims, who sprang down well to claim the efforts.

United’s best chance of the second period would come through the debutant Pat Jones, who nearly stole all the headlines when a failed clearance from Donkor dropped onto the foot of the Welshman in the penalty area, allowing him to volley the ball at goal, only for his shot to clear the crossbar and nestle in the stands behind from a promising position.

With the game in its closing stages, there would be yet another disappointing late goal conceded by United as the visitors somehow managed to almost certainly win the game with practically the last attack. After working the ball down the line unchallenged, Sutton would cross the ball towards the back post for the substitute Brandon Njoku to attack, heading the ball down into the ground and stealing all the points in what had been a poor game of football to observe.

IRON: Jones, Horton, Boyce, Whitehall (Farrell, 55), Roberts, Rowley, Tahir, Ewing (Beestin, 72), Starbuck (Barrows, 72), Westbrooke, Smith (Jones, 45).

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Mahady, Belehouan, Hurst.

ATTENDANCE: 3,611 (37 away)

REFEREE: Garreth Rhodes