REPORT: Barrow 3-0 Iron

Following a vastly improved performance against Hartlepool United at the weekend, United came into tonight’s midweek clash with Barrow AFC full of confidence as they looked to continue to pull away from the Enterprise National League relegation zone against a Bluebirds side who had lost just one of their previous six.

There was just a single change regarding the team selection for the Iron this evening as, after leaving the field of play on a stretcher against the Pools at the weekend, Left-back Tyler Denton was unavailable for selection for this encounter. Therefore, with no fit left-back available to feature, defender Reagan Ogle came into the side, forcing a shuffle at the back of the Scunthorpe pack. Elsewhere, James Gale was inducted back onto the substitutes bench to make up the full 18.

After a change of ends before the fixtures started, insinuated by the Iron’s skipper Joe Rowley, both outfits would make a positive start to the encounter at Holker Park, challenging each other’s defensive units with several early breaks.

With just seven minutes on the clock, it would be United who had the game’s first opportunity when they advanced through the Barrow thirds following some sublime hold-up play from James Norwood, releasing Ogle down the right-flank who had space to drive towards the Barrow penalty area before firing a tame effort towards the bottom corner that caused problems for goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom, who could only palm the ball back into the danger area before smothering the second ball to end the attack.

In response to this early chance for Scunthorpe, the hosts would have a chance of their own when Alex Reid collected a second ball on the edge of the penalty area, working the ball onto his left foot before looking to whip the ball into the far corner of Maison Campbell’s goal, although failing to trouble the shot stopper as the effort dropped wide of the mark.

As both sides continued to threaten on the counter, the Iron would create yet another opportunity with Ogle at the heart when the Australian wing-back was again afforded space to advance down the wing, using the space to cross a deep ball into the area, aiming for Norwood, who had peeled away at the far post, but the veteran forward couldn’t tame the cross as he fired a volley over the crossbar.

With just over 20 minutes played, the best chance of the game would be awarded to the Bluebirds when a long ball in behind was latched onto by Reid, who was clean through on goal, looking destined to break the deadlock if not for the fabulous intervention of Campbell, who made himself big to deny the forward’s attempted finish, trapping the ball beneath him to keep the scores level.

As half-time approached, the game would become slightly scrappy as both teams lacked the end product or killer final ball they required. As a result, chances were few and far between until the half’s latter stages when Barrow would have one final chance to take the lead.

After a long punt forward from Winterbottom that was misjudged by the Iron defence, possession would fall into the path of captain Isaac Marriott on the edge of the Scunthorpe area, who looked to punish with a rifled effort towards the target that narrowly evaded the upright, missing the mark to bring the first half to an end.

After the restart, Scunthorpe would find themselves under a wave of early pressure from the Bluebirds, who forced Campbell into some early action with a number of crucial saves to deny Barrow the opener.

With 54 minutes on the clock, Barrow would take advantage of Reagan Ogle pulling up injured on the track back, advancing into the area unchallenged. Rakeem Harper would fire the ball towards the target, forcing Campbell into a low stop down to the bottom corner.

Despite United having to soak up the pressure from their hosts, they would still manage to hit their opponents on the break as one direct ball over the top from Campbell would release Norwood in behind the Bluebirds’ defence, flicking the ball one more into the path of the bombarding Stan Ashbee, who caught a volley ever so sweetly as he drove an effort towards the top corner, producing a ridiculous diving save out of Winterbottom to push the ball clear.

With just under 70 minutes played, the game’s opening goal would come through Harper, and it had very much been coming from Andy Butler’s side, who found themselves behind when a cut back to the edge of the area from Seb Thompson was put on a plate for the former West Brom man, who stroked the ball home.

In the minutes that followed, things would go from bad to worse for United as they conceded their second goal in just two minutes. After being allowed to cut inside off the right flank, Thompson would look to drive an effort towards the target from range, forcing Campbell into a low save to push the ball clear, but only back into the path of the well-positioned Reid, who steered the ball home to make it 2-0.

As Scunthorpe made an array of changes to try and get themselves back in the game, they would come very close to pulling a goal back when substitute James Gale was there to latch onto a low cross into the area, settling himself with a touch before attempting to prod the ball beneath the onrushing Winterbottom, who got down superbly to deny the effort.

With 88 minutes played, the game would be put to bed by the hosts, who hit United with a cunning counter-attack, breaking the offside line with a single switch from Dan Mooney that found the run of Stockport County loanee Arian Allen in behind, settling himself after a poor first touch before being allowed the time to lash an effort into the top corner from the edge of the area to make it three.

And with that, the Iron would be dealt a disappointing defeat on the road; after an impressive opening to the game, they were ultimately well defeated by their hosts, who were clinical in the second half to send Scunthorpe home with little to show.

IRON: Campbell, Norwood, Rowley (Parker, 79), P.Jones (Brennan, 69), Ashbee, Batty, Hurst (Evans, 56), Starbuck (Gale, 79), Ogle (Sellars-Fleming, 56), Butterfield, Barrows.

IRON SUBS: L. Jones, Bailey

ATTENDANCE: 2,014 (137 away)

REFEREE: Scott Jackson