Scunthorpe United v Wrexham

Friday, December 3, 2004

English FA Cup

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Byrne, Butler, Crosby, Ridley, Sparrow, Baraclough, Kell (Taylor 82), Beagrie, Hayes, Torpey
Subs not used:
Evans, Stanton, Jackson, Rankine

Wrexham :
Baker, Lawrence, Morgan (Stephen Roberts 24), Pejic, Spender, Mark Jones (Sam 63), Ferguson, Green (Armstrong 63), Holt, Llewellyn, Ugarte
Subs not used:
Dibble, Crowell

SULSESC REPORT

by Gary Brackenbury at Glanford Park

"Why d'you support Scunthorpe, Daddy?" "I were born there lad" "Where was I born?" "Right next door to Oxford's ground" "Do I support Oxford then?" "Guess so son".

So it is my lot as a dutiful father to follow our local side (three stands and all) whilst being the only one who looks out for the mighty Iron's half–time scores. What a choker last season to see the Yellows flirt with the top (thankfully dipping out at the death) while the mighty Iron sank faster than a Boddies in the Arbitrager. Not this season, young un!

Oxford off the rails, Iron riding high, not that I rub it in, oh no!

And now the chance to see the league leaders in action. Having to work to the close on a Friday in London, what better place to watch than in the Arbitrager? (rhetorical question!).

Fair play to the pub, they were easy to find, had nice barmaids, a good drop of Boddies and the SULSESC crew were down in the cellar (round the corner, in a cubby hole not easy to find but hard to miss after kick–off).

Me and the cousin, not having seen much of the mighty Iron this season, were pretty impressed (not with the boozer) with this pass and move stuff coming from the home side. Cracking stuff, surely not the Scunny we knew of old and surely they could not keep it up. Course they couldn't, they completely blew the rhythm by going and scoring! Beagrie cross from the left, Ridley glancing header (might have come off the defender's shoulder but no matter, it went in!).

Least the Iron deserved, they were on top but Wrexham had somehow managed to conjure up a shot on the break that Musselwhite dealt with well (a bit flash mind). Thereafter Wrexham made a game of it, giving pressure but no efforts on goal leaving the Iron to show what they could do on the break.

Deserved half–time lead and it was not long to wait for a second.

Nipping out for refills it was nice to see they had the footy on upstairs but I was the only one in the bar watching to see Sparrow tap in the goalie's fumble from Hayes' shot. Bit of a comeback then from the Welshies but no real heart, at the end we had hit the woodwork twice and could have had five or more.

Couldn't take our eyes off the game in the last 10 minutes waiting to spot that end of game capitulation but no sign whatsoever of a set of jaws offering up a juicy defeat in exchange for a well won victory.

On this form, my lad will have to travel on Saturdays if he is to see some decent football. Pity, I will miss that view of the car park and cinema behind the goal.

Let's hope Morinho puts out a decent side and gives us a proper game, none of this second string stuff!