The Iron made their long-awaited return to the grass despite the sustained rain that had occurred in the hours prior, for a fixture that would see them face off against local outfit Barton Town in what would be United’s first fixture of the 2024-25 season.
With a new manager at the helm in the form of club legend Andy Butler, there was bound to be experimentation throughout the squad during the upcoming pre-season friendlies, hence there was a change in formation from the previous season and an Iron starting XI made up of some unfamiliar faces. Amongst those new additions was central midfielder Max Brogan who joined the club following his departure from Solihull Moors and trialists Finn Abraham and Joe Rowley, who were also included from the beginning. Furthermore, there were many more players to be unveiled to the Scunthorpe faithful as the game progressed.
With the skies clearing and the pitch in perfect condition, United’s season was set underway by their hosts. Almost immediately the Iron set the tone for the encounter by advancing at a high intensity into their opponents half.
The first chance was also awarded to Scunthorpe as they crafted an opportunity down the right-flank through trialist Rowley. Rowley’s forceful drive forward allowed him to calmly slot the ball into the feet of Kian Scales who’s marauding run failed to include end product as his effort snuck narrowly wide.
Within a matter of minutes United took a storming lead, it was Alfie Beestin playing in his natural striker role who sprung the Swans offside trap and instinctively swivelled and struck a pinpoint effort past James Hitchcock between the Barton sticks to make it 1-0.
Determined not to give Barton a single minute to recover, the Iron instead dealt the Swans a second through Scales who was again causing trouble within his opposites sector. Rowley was continuing to orchestrate the midfield and in doing so managed to set up Scales once more, this time however the wing-back made no mistake in dispatching his effort.
To further extend the onslaught on the Barton goal Scunthorpe remained relentless and firmly asserted their dominance with a third goal inside ten minutes through new boy Brogan. With the ball being firmly fizzed across the park, the Swans were left perplexed by United’s scintillating play as Danny Whitehall superbly held up possession and laid the ball back to Brogan who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
As the half progressed United remained dominant, however Barton did manage to register a period of pressure on the United goal, but Ryan Thompson's ambitious long ranged effort dropped just over Ross Fitzsimons between the Scunthorpe sticks.
As the half dragged out it remained consistent with Scunthorpe firmly on top of the fixture, chances were being created left, right and centre however the Iron failed to further add to their lead with their best chance being a superb free-kick effort from captain Michael Clunan who beat the wall with his stunning effort that marginally clipped the outside of the post and went behind.
When referee David Jones blew his whistle to signal the end of first half proceedings the Iron would go on to make ten alterations to the starting XI with debuts being handed to strike partnership Sam Fishburn and Carlton Ubaezuonu, along with this new addition Maison Campbell claimed his place between the sticks for his permanent debut. On top of that three more trialist entered the fray in the form of Ash Hunter, Keenan Ferguson and Charlie Burden.
As play resumed for the second period, the heavily changed United XI failed to take their foot off the gas and proceeded to push forward in search of a fourth and it was nearly found immediately by Ubaezuonu. Cal Roberts and Hunter were combining sensationally on the edge of the Swans area and in doing so managed to allow Roberts to slide a through ball into the former Chorley man who’s sliding effort almost snuck beneath the onrushing goalkeeper.
With the tempo slowing in the second period United required a goal to spark life back into the encounter. In the 67th minute, the Iron’s patience was rewarded when they finally broke through the Barton blockade through the substitute Burden. It was Roberts’ slotted through ball that somehow found the deadly run of Burden, who set himself and was never in doubt when dispatching the ball beyond the helpless Hitchcock.
Now United had found their flow again, and proceeded to stride forward with hopes of adding to their lead before the end of the game. Roberts saved certainly the best until last as he won the ball back in the middle of the park and drove at pace towards the Swans backline and fantastically drove a low shot into the bottom corner to seal the victory in spectacular fashion.
IRON STARTING XI: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Evans, Clunan, Beestin, Whitehall, Brogan, Scales, Law, Abraham, Rowley.
SECOND HALF XI: Campbell, Boyce, Roberts, Ubaezouonu, Fishburn, Shrimpton, Law (Abraham, 68), Barrows, Ferguson, Burden, Hunter.
