Following their midweek elimination triumph against old foes Southend United, the Iron would be back in action this afternoon for another straight shootout against a heartbroken Rochdale AFC, who came into the encounter on the back of a title-deciding result against York City last weekend.
First-team Manager Andy Butler named an unchanged Starting XI this afternoon, looking to replicate the Iron-hearted performance from the previous play-off fixture. The only alterations would come amongst the substitutes as there were surprise inclusions for returning defensive duo Oliver Rose and Andrew Boyce.
When proceedings were set underway at a sold-out Crown Oil Arena, Scunthorpe would make a nightmare start to the fixture, falling behind within a matter of minutes.
In what was the game’s first attack, Luke Hannant would be released down the left flank, carrying possession forward at electric speed. Making his way into the area, Hannant would slot the ball across the face of goal for talisman striker Mani Deiseruvwe, who would bundle the ball home from merely yards out to give his team an early lead.
In the minutes that followed the opening goal, Scunthorpe would begin to settle into the encounter with a number of chances of their own, looking to release Callum Roberts on the right-hand side. On one of the occasions that saw Roberts set free, the wide man would peel away in the centre, driving forward before firing a low effort towards the target that was well caught by goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff.
As play continued, the Dale would threaten on the odd occasion through set-pieces. However, it would be the Iron who were pursuing the next goal of the game as Pat Jones was tormenting his opposite marker, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, on the left flank.
With half-time drawing nearer, Jones would get the better of Dale again when he pressed high to regain possession inside the hosts’ penalty area, settling himself before looking to find the pass. The Welshman would look to slide the ball to Danny Whitehall, who just mistimed his run, allowing a defender to steal in and stop a certain leveller.
This would see the first half’s action come to a close at the Crown Oil Arena, with the Iron hunting a second-half equaliser to revive their hopes of a final at Wembley.
Within minutes of the restart, the hosts would look to extend their advantage when the lively-looking Hannant snatched possession from the toes of Jean Belehouan before running through on goal. With just Louis Jones to beat, time would stand still as Hannant bore down on goal, although he would misplace his shot by curling round the outside of the far post.
With 57 minutes on the clock, things would go from bad to worse for United as Rochdale doubled their lead through Devante Rodney. Winning possession high in the Scunthorpe half, one pass through the defence would see Rodney dispatched in the area, driving the ball past Jones from a tight angle in what was an outrageous finish.
As Scunthorpe looked to their substitutes for a way back into the encounter, they now had an almighty task on their hands, and it would be one of the alternates, Ross Barrows, who had a golden chance to pull one back within mere minutes of his introduction. After a scrappy corner would drop in the area, Barrows would turn and fire the loose ball towards the goal, forcing a remarkable stop out of Whatmuff, who saved his side.
With just over ten minutes remaining in the fixture, the Iron would be handed the lifeline they desired, opting to go route one over the top of the Dale defence to send Declan Howe storming in behind. Striding towards the target, Howe would make no mistake, rolling the ball beneath the goalkeeper to pull one back.
As Rochdale attempted to end hopes of a repeat of last weekend’s result, they would pile players behind the ball to shut down Scunthorpe’s attacking onslaught, limiting Butler’s boys to simply half-chances.
With no idea of how many minutes of added time were in, dictated due to Rochdale ironically not having a board for the fourth official, presumably after last weekend’s events. The closest that United would come to levelling the scores would see a low cross from Branden Horton find Alfie Beestin’s feet in the penalty area, holding off his marker with his back to goal and looking to lay the ball off to Roberts on the edge, although it would be snatched from his toes to end all hopes of a comeback.
With this, Scunthorpe’s season would come to an agonising end, not the result that the lads wanted, but regardless, a fantastic first National League campaign back at the level.
IRON: Jones, Horton, Belehouan (Barrows, 66), Evans, Whitehall (Howe, 42), Roberts, Rowley (Boyce, 89), Jones (Beestin, 66), Ewing (Scales, 66), Westbrooke, Denton
IRON SUBS: Mahady, Rose
