REPORT: Port Vale 4-2 Iron

With the Iron searching for a boost of confidence to help kickstart a run of form, they would be presented with a perfect opportunity to do so this afternoon when they travelled to Vale Park for an Emirates FA Cup 1st round encounter against League Two opponents in the form of Port Vale.

With regard to the team selection, there was a double change to the United starting XI from last weekend's defeat to Boston United. Firstly, a switch between the sticks as Louis Jones came into the squad to replace Maison Campbell, who dropped to the bench. Elsewhere, versatile youngster Oli Rose was granted his first start of the season in midfield, with Jordan Richards moved to the alternates.

When proceedings were set underway, it would be a possession-based opening ten minutes at Vale Park, as there was little to report barring an early counter from a Scunthorpe corner that saw Onel Hernandez break away from Joe Starbuck and over the top of the United defence, bearing down on goal before slotting an effort marginally wide of the far post.

Following this chance, Vale advanced forward again with Hernandez at the heart of the attack. As the Cuban managed to switch the ball over to the left- hand side, a low cross into the area was perfectly executed by the wing-back, picking out Liverpool loanee Keyrol Figueroa in the centre, who bundled the ball over the line for an early lead.

With the hosts on top of the fixture, they came incredibly close to adding to their advantage mere moments after the first, if not for a remarkable double save from Jones, who somehow managed to keep out quick-fire efforts from Hernandez and Jaheim Healey.

With very little to report for the remainder of what was a low-tempo first half. One of the few chances created was a first shot on target for the Iron, who attacked down the right flank with Brennan, taking a touch out of his feet before delivering a high cross to the far post, aiming for the run of James Norwood in the area and finding the head of the forward, but the effort was tame as it was caught by Marko Marosi.

This would be the last action of the first period, with Port Vale holding onto a narrow one-goal advantage; however, when the sides returned for the second half, the pendulum swung in Scunthorpe’s favour as Interim Manager Jacob Butterfield’s side started lively.

With no more than five minutes played, the Iron came their closest yet to equalising when again a dangerous Brennan cross was excellently weighted towards Norwood in the centre, who was inches away from connecting as the ball flashed across the face of goal. The chance was not done yet, however, as possession was worked back to Dan Batty on the edge of the box, whose curling effort sent Marosi scrambling across his line before just landing wide of the far post.

Despite a dominant spell from United, Vale were looking dangerous on the break and took advantage of Scunthorpe’s attacking commitment with a second goal. After feeding Hernandez into space on the edge of the area, the striker would chop back onto his right foot, taking two defenders out of the game before rifling the ball beyond Jones for 2-0.

Less than four minutes later, things would go from bad to worse for the Iron as the Valiants added a third goal through substitute Max Watters, scoring with his first touch. After receiving a perfectly weighted low cross towards the far post, Watters provided the killer blow, blasting the ball past Jones, who stood no chance as the EFL side extended their advantage.

With 20 minutes remaining and Scunthorpe requiring a drastic turnaround to keep their second-round hopes alive, they very nearly thought they had their route back into the encounter when a delightful passage of play allowed for Norwood to dink the ball back into Alfie Beestin in the area, who appeared to be tripped on his way to goal, desperately appealing for a penalty that was not awarded by the referee, who waved play on.

The next action of the fixture came with just four minutes of normal time remaining when the Iron pulled a goal back through Norwood, rising highest in the Vale area to power home an unstoppable header from substitute Reagan Clayton’s delightfully executed cross into the box.

With the score now 3-1 and a glimmer of hope re-appearing for United, their position improved even further when they reduced the deficit within the final minute of the 90. Winning the ball in a dangerous area, James Gale advanced forward into the hosts’ final third, spotting the late run of Declan Howe at the far post, driving the ball along the floor and into the path of the forward, who somehow managed to squeeze a shot in at the near post, beating Marosi to make it 3-2.

As Scunthorpe applied all hands to the offensive pump to try and get the all-important equaliser, they were punished in defence by the fresh legs of Oli Lynch in the Vale attack, as the loanee forward was all on his own to receive the ball inside his own half before turning and driving towards goal, slotting the ball beneath the advancing Louis Jones and into the corner to kill off the encounter.

And with that, United’s Emirates FA Cup campaign for the 2026-27 season came to an end at the first-round stage. Despite a valiant effort against the Valiants, the Iron were unable to progress, but can take plenty of positives from the performance as attention now turns back to the Enterprise National League.

IRON: L. Jones, Rose (D. Howe, 70), Belehouan, Evans, Beestin, Norwood, Brennan (Gale, 70), P. Jones (Sellars-Fleming, 88), Batty (Richards, 80), Starbuck, Denton (Clayton, 70)

IRON SUBS: Campbell, Parker, Ashbee, Shipstone