Report: Skegness Town 0-1 Iron

With two victories under the belts against local outfits to kickstart their pre-season preparations, United would venture further a field for their latest encounter when they took on United Counties Premier Division North side Skegness Town looking for the second consecutive victory against the Lilywhites following a 3-0 triumph last campaign.

With regards to the Iron’s team layout for the fixture, Scunthorpe had operated with two separate Starting XI’s in their opening pre-season fixtures, however on this occasion Andy Butler instead opted to make wholesale changes to his side on the 60th minute mark, changing the workload throughout his squad.

When proceedings were set underway at the MKM stadium, United and their hosts would need the opening ten minutes to adjust to the bobbly surface beneath them, with possession changing hands almost constantly as the two outfits battled for a foothold.

With 15 minutes on the clock the Iron would test their opponents goalkeeper Jake Lovelace for the first time in the encounter when Connor Smith received possession on the edge of the Skegness area and opted to hit one towards the target that appeared destined for the top corner if not for Lovelace’s intervention who managed to tip it over the crossbar.

The games next action would in fact see the hosts try their luck at taking the lead when full-back John Moral was invited to strike a volleyed effort from 25 yards, looping the ball towards the target. However, the effort never seemed to trouble Maison Campbell between the Scunthorpe sticks as he shepherded it wide of the post.

In the minutes that followed, United would be denied of the opening goal again when on this occasion it was a crucial block from a Skegness defender that prevented Declan Howe from sliding in to turn home Alfie Beestin’s low cross across the face of goal.

With the first half’s action drawing to a close the Iron would continue to test their opponents defensive stability when a quickly taken corner allowed space for Beestin to try his luck with a delicate dink towards the far corner that appeared to have Lovelace beaten until it clipped the crossbar before being swept away.

Mere seconds from the half-time break Scunthorpe would have their best chance yet to take the lead when the aftermath of the following corner saw possession drop to Paul Hurst in the penalty area who fired the ball on target from a matter of yards out, forcing the former Boston United shotstopper Lovelace into a remarkable reflex stop to palm the ball clear.

Following the half-time break at the formerly  known Vertigo Stadium, United would get the ball rolling looking to pick off where they left off in the first half by taking full control of proceedings.

With little to report from the opening ten minutes of second half action, the Iron would begin to use the most of their possession by creating several chances of note.

The first of these opportunities would see yet another goal line scramble as firstly Ross Barrows would see the ball knocked down to his feet in the area before firing an instinctive shot towards the bottom corner that was deflected away by a wall of Skeg defenders on the line. Then, with the ball still in play, Beestin would drive the ball towards the bottom corner, only to see his effort batted away by the Lilywhite blockade.

With the Scunthorpe substitutes limbering up to take to the field of play, there would be one last chance for United to strike before the break in play as Hurst would chop inside off his right flank, working a yard of space before finessing an ambitious effort towards the target that on its way to goal would be diverted in the opposite direction by Declan Howe, forcing Lovelace to make an unbelievable diving stop to turn the ball away despite almost being wrong footed.

Following the alterations United would use their fresh legs to their advantage, applying the pressure on their opponents defence with relentless waves of attack.

Just after his introduction, Iron forward Danny Whitehall would take just a matter of moments to make his mark on proceedings when he was fouled on the edge of the hosts penalty area. Opting to take the free-kick himself, Whitehall would step up to the plate and produce a sublime curling effort that beat the Skegness wall before being denied by the crossbar, leaving it reverberating as it bounced kindly into the grasp of the goalkeeper.

With just ten minutes remaining for the Iron to make the breakthrough they desired, it was beginning to feel as though it wasn’t going to be United’s day when again Lovelace’s goalkeeper heroics came to the rescue for the hosts. it was Callum Howe’s perfectly timed leap and header that saw him meet Luke Brennan’s corner cross, making the keeper produce a strong hand to push the ball over the crossbar.

Despite a valiant defensive performance from the Lilywhites, what would occur next couldn’t have been stopped by the best of defences. As Whitehall received the ball on the edge of the Skegness area, he would produce a sublime piece of skill to nutmeg an oncoming defender, dancing his way into the penalty area before taking on the final defender with a deadly chop to leave him on the floor, granting him an easy finish into the bottom corner to finally break the deadlock.

With Scunthorpe finally ahead in the fixture there was little time remaining for the hosts to make a response, there was still time however for one last save from Lovelace when he was called into action mere moments before the final whistle sounded to deny Pat Jones a second goal of pre-season from the edge of the area, pushing the well struck effort away from the target to mark an impressive display between the sticks.

Despite the narrow victory it was a determined performance and victory from United and on another day it could’ve been much more convincing. Now Butler’s boys are set to take on former Iron boss Jimmy Dean’s Spalding United in their fourth pre-season encounter.

IRON FIRST HALF XI: Campbell (L. Jones, 46), Belehouan, D. Howe, Beestin, Hurst, Smith, Ogle (Shipstone, 46), Butterfield, Denton (Uppal, 46), Barrows, Aston.

IRON XI FROM 58 MINS: L. Jones, Evans, C. Howe, Whitehall, Brennan, Rowley, P. Jones, Richards, Shipstone, Gale, Uppal.

ATTENDANCE: 130

REFEREE: Peter Brothwell

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