Scunthorpe United v Port Vale

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Football League One

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Stanton, Crosby, Hinds, Williams, Taylor (Sparrow 85), Richie Ryan, Baraclough, Beagrie, Sharp, Keogh
Subs not used:
Capp, Johnson, Byrne, Corden

Port Vale :
Goodlad, Rowland, Pilkington, Collins, James, Sonner (Cardle 68), Cornes (Birchall 68), Dinning, Cummins, Paynter, Lowndes
Subs not used:
Brain, Porter, Holmes

SULSESC REPORT

by Chris Pettitt at Glanford Park

THE biggest decision I had to make today was not 'am I going to go to the match or stay at home and watch cricket?' - but whether I was going to wear my lucky Scooby Doo socks.

These lucky socks go back many a year. Can't remember exactly when they were first worn at a Scunny game but needless to say we won that match when we probably shouldn't have.

I don't wear these socks for every game but only when I think we could do with a good result. The last time the lucky socks were worn was for the opening day fixture at Brentford which, so far, has amazingly been our only defeat of the season and my one and only game so far.

So you see my dilemma. If I go and we lose, it's my fault. If I go, wearing my lucky socks, and we lose, it's still my fault. As I'm writing the match report, you can probably guess that I went to the game.

At half-time, we were 2-0 up. I've never seen anything like it at Glanny Park for many years, if at all. Scunny playing football! Along the deck! Slick passing to feet! Movement off the ball! Two forwards who look like they could cause havoc wherever they play! And both Taylor and Beagrie causing problems for the Vale full-backs! This is unusual for the fact that we actually used both wingers and did not just rely on Beags.

The first goal, I thought, we were trying to walk into the net, but several passes to feet inside the box finished with Sharp passing the ball back to Hinds. I've no idea whether he intended to shoot or not - or whether the shout of 'Shoot!' from the person stood next to me scared him. It certainly scared me, my ears are still ringing, but he shot beyond the outstretched hand of Goodlad for 1-0 to the Iron.

The second goal came indirectly from a corner. The Vale defence cleared only as far as Beags on the left and with only Paynter to beat, he cut inside and unleashed a shot from just outside the box. The 'keeper may or not have got to it, but Keogh got a glancing header which took it beyond the 'keeper for 2-0.

The second-half started as the first had finished with the Iron in control, but slowly the Vale midfield started to take charge as the impressive Ryan and Bara began to flag. Two Vale subs started to cause even more trouble but, with Crosby holding the back line firm, we managed to hold on for a deserved win.