REPORT: Tamworth 4-1 Iron

Following Saturday’s narrow defeat to Woking in the Enterprise National League, the Iron came into tonight’s encounter with Tamworth in desperate need of a victory in order to avoid slipping further into the relegation zone against a Lambs side who were equally keen to add three points to their own tally.

With regard to the Scunthorpe team selection, Iron manager Andy Butler made just a single change to his line-up, coming up front as versatile attacker Alfie Beestin made his first start since returning to full fitness, elected ahead of Welshman Pat Jones, who dropped down to the bench to make up the seven substitutes along with Declan Howe, who was deemed fit to return to league action for the first time in over a month.

As proceedings were set underway at the Lamb Ground, United found themselves under an abundance of early pressure from their hosts, with the game plan for both sides evident for all in attendance as long balls became an early theme.

It was this previously mentioned pressure that resulted in the game’s opening goal within the first minutes as one direct ball down the channel released Tom McGlinchey down the left side, presenting the chance to whip a dangerous cross into the area that found striker Kieran Donnelly in the centre, allowing the striker to nod the ball back into the path of former Brackley Town man Morgan Roberts, who lashed the ball home with a cunning volley into the bottom corner.

In response to the opener, the Iron looked for an immediate response through some well-worked solo play from Kyle Hurst as the attacking midfielder carried possession up through the Tamworth thirds, before laying possession back to Joe Starbuck on the right, whose low cross into James Norwood on the edge of the box was controlled by the striker, who proceeded to dink the ball back to Hurst in the area, but the eventual effort was struck across the face of goal and wide of the target.

As the first half’s action continued, things would continue to worsen for United as Donnelly turned from provider to goalscorer on 14 minutes when a recycled Tamworth corner was returned to McGlinchey in an advanced crossing position, presenting the chance for the wide man to whip a pinpoint delivery into the penalty area that was welcomed by the unmarked striker, latching onto the cross and glancing the ball home for what was the former Boston United man’s 8th goal of the season.

In truth, chances would be few and far between following the second goal as the scrappy nature of the encounter continued; however, there was a late spike in action before the break as Tamworth first rubbed salt into the Scunthorpe wounds with a third.

With United parked on the half-way line with a high line, one single pass through the heart of the defence was enough to release McGlinchey through on goal with nothing but open space ahead of him and a free hit against the onrushing Maison Campbell. As the midfielder ran through, he calmly worked the ball around the goalkeeper and slotted the ball home with a composed finish.

After what could only be described as a disappointing half of football from a United perspective, a flicker of hope was restored deep into additional time when a lofted ball into the Tamworth area was swept away into the path of the well-positioned Beestin, taking the ball in his stride and lashing an effort towards Jonathan Macauley between the sticks, who could only watch as the effort was smashed home to make it 3-1 going into the break.

With a triple Scunthorpe substitution at the break and a change of shape to try and inspire a comeback following Beestin’s goal, the Iron started the second period brightly by creating several quick-fire opportunities that unfortunately went to waste.

The first of these chances saw Macauley called into action by one of the half-time alterations as Jones made an immediate impact, receiving the ball from his teammate Howe, who had outmuscled his opponent inside the penalty area to lay the ball off, giving the winger the chance to fire an effort at goal that was pushed clear by the goalkeeper.

Mere moments after this chance, James Norwood looked to reduce the deficit when he wiggled free inside the Tamworth penalty area in order to latch onto a low cross to the far post, being wrestled to the deck as he managed to somehow connect with the ball and turn it just inches wide of the mark.

As United continued to apply the pressure in their search for a second, Beestin produced some individual brilliance in the final third that nearly restored Scunthorpe’s hopes with 20 still to play. Dancing his way into the penalty area with force and quick feet, the Iron’s longest-serving player would look to poke a through ball into a teammate, finding Howe in space, who took the ball wide right before whipping an effort just wide of the post.

With time ticking down for United to strike back, they came their closest yet through Jones from off the right flank. It was Norwood who controlled possession on the edge of the Lambs area, sliding Jones down the line and giving the winger the time to let fly, driving an effort along the deck and seemingly into the bottom corner, only for the shot to clip the inside of the post and bounce away from the target.

With the scoreline and result all but settled, Tamworth still had time to grab a fourth in the tie’s dying embers, catching a fully forward-committed Iron on the break as McGlinchey was threaded through the centre again, seemingly in an offside position at first glance but not to the assistant referee, deeming him onside as he burst into the penalty area before setting the ball up on a plate for striker Dan Creaney to tap into an empty net.

And with that, the referee brought an end to the encounter at the Lamb Ground, condemning Scunthorpe to a 10th defeat of the season and leaving them in dire need of a result against fellow strugglers Boston United this upcoming weekend.

IRON: Campbell, Belehouan, Evans, Beestin, Norwood, Ashbee (Parker, 67), Batty (Butterfield, 61), Hurst (D. Howe, 45), Richards (P. Jones, 45), Starbuck, Denton (Brennan, 45)

IRON SUBS: L. Jones, Clayton