Report: Iron (3) 3-3 (0) Cleethorpes Town

It was a break from league action for the Iron this evening when they participated in their second straight Lincolnshire Senior Cup Final with their opponents being Northern Premier League East table toppers Cleethorpes Town.

It was to be the first meeting between the Iron and the Owls since the fixture took place in last year’s competition, on that occasion Scunthorpe triumphed 3-1 winners, a result Andy Butler’s team would’ve been hoping to replicate.

In regard to Scunthorpe’s team selection for the evening it was an almost clean sweep of alterations to the side that defeated title rivals Chester at the weekend with the only player remaining in the starting XI being club captain Michael Clunan. Elsewhere, there was surprise inclusions for currently out on loan players Jason Law, Max Brogan and Sam Fishburn who slotted into the line-up seamlessly across the pitch. Finally, there was a first senior Scunthorpe start handed to youthful centre-back and once academy product Finn Abraham who was chosen to partner the experienced Andrew Boyce in defence.

To start proceedings United were met immediately by some determined attacking play from the Owls whose high press and quick tempo caught butler’s boys off guard. This early pressure allowed the on-paper visitors to craft the first attack of the game through former Iron man Curtis Bateson who drove a low cross into the penalty area from out wide that found the feet of well-known local forward Josh Walker who attempted to fire a quick shot at goal that was well blocked by Abraham.

The supporters at Lincoln City’s LNER stadium weren’t made to wait long for the first goal of the evening and it would be the Iron who made the breakthrough. After an intelligent pass from Clunan to carve open the Cleethorpes defence, Joe Starbuck would race in behind with space and time to cross. From the resulting low driven ball towards the back post Mark Beck would come sliding in to connect with the cross and divert it into the top corner.

This 1-0 advantage wouldn’t last long however as almost instantly a single through ball from a recycled attack caught out the Scunthorpe backline and released Brad Abbott in behind the United defence. Abbott was seen running through on goal before closing in on Maison Campbell and finishing the chance with a well-placed finish into the bottom corner.

It was now turning into goals galore on the night as the Iron would regain their lead a matter of minutes later. This time the ball would be put in the back of the net by Gambian forward Mo Fadera who latched onto a goalkeeping error from Oliver Battersby by outstretching a foot to nip the ball beyond the keeper for 2-1.

Again, this lead wouldn’t last a great amount of time as United failed to hold onto the advantage for the second time. On this occasion it would be a Scunthorpe defensive mistake that was capitalised on as Walker latched onto a loose ball inside the area for the Owls and clinically chipped the ball beyond Campbell to make it all square.

Several half-hearted penalty shouts were swiftly dismissed by referee Ian Ruddock, who would soon bring an entertaining first period to an end with the scores level. The break would see a pack shuffle and a change of shape for the Iron who attempted to protect their players with a number of crucial fixtures coming up.

After a passage of keep ball to start the second period from Cleethorpes they would come close to taking the lead for the first time in the game from a set-piece. It was a floated ball to the back post from Abbott that evaded all attempts to clear and found its way to Callum Foster at the far post who came steaming onto the ball, from only a matter of yards Smith would’ve been tipped to score but instead he sent his effort soaring over the crossbar.

Next it would be United’s turn to test their oppositions defence as they retained the ball after a corner of their own. After the initial attack was swept clear the ball would fall to Brogan in acres of space 25 yards from the target, after a progressive touch to steady himself, the midfielder would send a powerful shot towards Battersby who was forced to dive down to his right to deny a truly special goal before smothering the loose ball.

Now Scunthorpe had got a taste for attacking the RILMAC South stand they would come forward again in search of a goal to put them back in the lead. It would eventually come in the 62nd minute when substitute forward Carlton Ubaezuonu found possession pinball to his feet to the right of goal. With plenty of work to do to provide a finish to the chance Ubaezuonu would wrap his foot around the ball and send his effort spiralling past Battersby and into the top corner making it 3-2 in the process.

For the next 10 minutes United would be forced into a period of extended defending that saw the Owls push for an equaliser. Cleethorpes would come close on a number of occasions, but Campbell would remain equal to the efforts including a splendid reflex save from point blank range that denied Jack Vann of a certain goal.

Eventually Craig Rouse’s side would be rewarded for their efforts to obtain an equaliser when a long ball forward allowed Walker to do what he does best by knocking the puck down for a team mate to run onto. On this occasion it would be Connor O’Grady who burst onto the knock down and smash the ball beyond Campbell’s grasp and into the roof of the net.

With the game approaching its end, and prospect of penalties drew nearer the Iron produced one final push toward getting a fourth goal that would’ve ultimately proved to be the match winner. The best chance Scunthorpe would forge at the death would be when a cut back to the edge of the box found the lurking Ubaezuonu who set himself to rifle a shot at Battersby, unfortunately the Irishman would lean too far back and send his effort over the crossbar.

This would signal spot kicks to decide the fate and winner of the Lincolnshire Senior Cup for the 2024-25 season. From the first penalty of the shoot-out, Brogan would slot his home before Walker saw his powerful shot saved by Campbell. Next up, it was to be Joe Rowley for the Iron who dispatched his effort with ease along with Cleethorpes having an almost replica penalty saved by Campell to put United firmly in the driver’s seat. Despite Will Evans’ shot crashing against the bar to give the Owls a glimmer of hope, it would quickly be distinguished as the next shot found the crowd rather than the back of the net. This meant that it was over to Ubaezuonu to secure the silverware which he did in clam fashion by stroking the ball beyond Battersby meaning that that trophy would return to the Attis Arena for a second successive campaign.

IRON: Campbell, Boyce, Clunan (Scales, 45), Fishburn, Brogan, Beck (Ubaezuonu, 45), Starbuck, Williams (Rowley, 45), Law, Fadera, Abraham (Evans, 45)

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Fitzsimons, Kouogun, Roberts