Scunthorpe United v Nottm Forest

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Football League One

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Mulligan, Crosby, Foster, Ridley, Taylor, Goodwin, Hinds, Sparrow, Sharp, Beckford
Subs not used:
Lillis, MacKenzie, Williams, Butler, Morris

Nottm Forest :
Smith, Chambers, Morgan, Breckin, Bennett, Holt, Perch, Commons, Lester (Holt 79), Agogo (Tyson 62), McGugan
Subs not used:
Pedersen, Dobie, Curtis

SULSESC REPORT

by Andrew Metcalfe at Glanford Park

WHAT a great day! Having almost been wiped off the face of the earth a few years ago whilst driving from my Hyde, Cheshire, home to an evening Scunthorpe v Crewe match, when another motorist suddenly decided to overtake on a blind hill on the Stocksbridge by-pass (but luckily just missed me), my girlfriend hates me driving over the Pennines to home matches.

So, I put two and two together, and thought train means beers means the Honest Lawyer and a chance, after 15-plus years of SULSESC membership, to meet fellow members and (embarrassingly) attend my first game of the season.

The day started badly when I was informed at Stockport railway station that, due to engineering works, the leg to Sheffield was by bus, and hence the Stocksbridge by-pass. This added an hour onto the journey and en route a pigeon flew into the bus’ windscreen. The glass remained intact, but I do not think the same could be said of the pigeon.

Things improved at the Honest Lawyer with a great selection of guest ales, excellent food and a Billie Piper-lookalike barmaid.

Within minutes, I met numerous SULSESC members, including the chairman (who, I remarked, resembled a barrister, which I thought was a compliment, but he did not); Dr. Vic (a Manchester City season ticket holder, who had enjoyed Scunthorpe’s games more this season); and Andy Skeels who, apart from challenging me to have a pint of all eight guest ales, persuaded me within minutes to write the match report.

I felt unworthy to report for such a distinguished publication, it being my first Scunny game of the season, but accepted anyway.

It was a proper game of football – hard fought, with none of the diving crap from prima donnas in the Premiership. Forest were certainly up for it. They were not dirty, but niggly, conceding lots of free-kicks.

When Commons scored in the 18th minute, I felt the referee was very close to giving a penalty for Murphy’s ‘save/tackle’, so I guess a goal is better than a sending-off and then a goal via a penalty.

Scunthorpe’s equaliser was a very neatly taken goal by Sharp following superb play by Sparrow, who could very easily have been Man of the Match instead of the excellent Foster.

Scunthorpe should have won the game, and could have done, when Sharp missed a relatively easy header, but how can you criticise a God?

Did anyone else notice the lineslady (or whatever they are called these days) who seemed to give every decision our way in the second-half? This was commented upon by three Forest fans who shared the Sheffield leg of my train journey home.

They were very complimentary of Scunthorpe and stated we were definitely going up. Incidentally, I found the lineslady very attractive but it was through a haze of Tom Wood’s Lincolnshire Legend.

What a great day. In fact, what a great weekend with England beating France at Twickenham too.

The only dampers on the day were Middlesbrough not beating Manchester United in the Cup, Bristol City winning, the Codheads’ late winner at Hereford and the club not printing enough programmes. How can you sell out so far before kick-off for one of your biggest games ever and a record crowd? What a loss of revenue.

But the bottom line of the day was that a draw suited us much more than Forest. So, a record-equalling 15 games unbeaten. The dream continues…