Scunthorpe United v Cheltenham

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Football League Two

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Crosby, Byrne, Ridley, Angus (Williams 67), Sparrow (Taylor 84), Baraclough, Beagrie, Kell, Hayes (Keogh 84), Torpey
Subs not used:
Evans, Corden

Cheltenham :
Higgs, Victory, Duff, Gill, Caines, Brian Wilson, Finnigan, McCann, Bird (Melligan 60), Gillespie (Odejayi 78), Guinan (Spencer 69)
Subs not used:
Michael Taylor, Scott Brown (GK)

SULSESC REPORT

by Neil Holland at Glanford Park

AFTER a poor run in February, the Iron followed up the last-gasp victory over Rushden with another three points at home to play-off chasing Cheltenham.

In the end, the scoreline was a little flattering, but there can be no doubt that Scunthorpe deserved all three points after employing a shoot-on-sight policy which eventually paid off.

With Cheltenham looking to push forward, the Iron found a lot more room than in previous home games, and Kell in particular proved the beneficiary, twice bursting through from midfield and bringing smart saves out of the visiting 'keeper.

However, it was Cheltenham who should have taken the lead midway through the first-half, Gillespie picking the ball up in what looked like an offside position before feeding former Iron loanee, Steve 'Tracksuit-less' Guinan who spooned over from just inside the area with an open goal at his mercy.

With half-time approaching, Beagrie took a quick free kick to Hayes with the defence still organising themselves. The frontman turned and fired in a shot which the 'keeper got down well to save, but the ball fell to Matt Sparrow at the far post who forced the ball home from close range to give Scunthorpe a first-half lead.

Cheltenham levelled just minutes into the second-half when a long ball pumped into the box was not claimed by Musselwhite, and the rebound fell to Victory on the edge of the area who steered his shot past Crosby on the line.

United kept pushing and were soon rewarded when Hayes fired in an early cross from the right hand side, finding Torpey who brought the ball under control before setting up Sparrow to fire home his second of the match.

The Iron worked hard to keep the initiative, and they were finally rewarded in the last five minutes. First, a rebound fell to Kell on the edge of the area who smashed a stunning shot past the visiting 'keeper.

Then with seconds remaining, Cliff Byrne smashed as sweet a shot as he is ever likely to hit from just outside the box, giving the 'keeper no chance.

The Iron could have had more, but in the end were rewarded for being a lot more positive than in previous games.