Swindon v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Football League One

Swindon :
Heaton, Jenkins, Nicholas, Gurney, O'Hanlon, Bouazza, McDermott (Comyn-Platt 40), Pook, Roberts, Whalley (Shakes 60), Fallon (sent off 57)
Subs not used:
Bulman, Thorpe, Heath

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Byrne, Williams, Crosby, Hinds, Till (Taylor 78), Sparrow, Baraclough, Beagrie (Richie Ryan 89), Sharp, Keogh
Subs not used:
Evans, Butler, Johnson

SULSESC REPORT

by Steve Sumner at County Ground

WHAT a day! Three draws in one day for the mighty Iron and not one to get excited about.

Early news for the 12 SULSESC members waiting for the 11.00 train at Paddington was that Scunthorpe had been drawn away to Halifax Town in the third round of the LDV Vans Trophy. Neil Wright was itching to get travel details out without delay. Unfortunately it would be several hours before he had access to both the info and his computer.

The trip to Swindon was unremarkable. Two tables of Black Maria, one table of chat and Russ Foster walking up and down the train trying to buy a bottle of water.

Nick Haines had been put in charge of pub selection for when we arrived at Swindon and he came up with a belter, the Gluepot in Oxford Road. Six real ales and good food served all day. Despite being there when we arrived, checking the latest stock market ups and downs, Mal Watson managed to miss out on the All Day Breakfast as the Leeman-Hollands and treasurer Vaughan cleaned up. The Swindon boys in the pub had advised us the best place to view the draw for the first round proper of the FA Cup was the Walkabout pub which we would see on our way to the ground.

At the ground, the early news was good. Crosby and Hinds in central defence, 'Barra and Sparra' in central midfield with loanee Peter Till on the right and Beags on the left.

Soon after kick-off, it was abundantly clear why Swindon were bottom of the table, far too many passes went astray, often going into touch in the Swindon half. Scunthorpe gradually took control and had a series of good chances, Sparrow heading directly at the 'keeper from two yards out, Till having a shot from ten yards deflected for a corner and Baraclough shooting over from outside the box following a free-kick on the left.

Most of the attacking play was down the Scunthorpe left, although Till was always an option down the right, often acting as a diversion. It was from the left that Scunthorpe scored on 35 minutes, Marcus Williams overlapping and getting almost to the by-line before cutting the ball back across the penalty area. The ball passed behind the strikers and retreating defenders, running directly into the path of the advancing Sparrow who made no mistake from 12 yards. No further major incidents before half time.

The second-half started very brightly for the Iron with some good inter-passing and deft touches leaving the Swindon players chasing shadows. Unfortunately there was no end product, the best opportunity being a Billy Sharp jinking run into the penalty area, but each time he went past a defender the ball would not sit right to get a shot in.

Two moments of madness followed from Swindon striker Rory Fallon who twice went into challenges with Richard Hinds leading with his elbow. The first was punished with a yellow card, the second with a red. That should have been game over, but no, that's not the way with United.

Suddenly Swindon were on the attack, United's passes were going astray and the whole tone of the game changed. It was from one such attack that the ball was cut back from the left by-line. Barra took affairs into his own hands, literally, falling to his left using his hands to deflect the ball into the path of an advancing player who buried the ball past Mussy who had no chance.

The referee obviously thought Swindon didn't deserve the goal so pulled play back and awarded Swindon a penalty. A second chance for United? Mussy was far too sporting for that, diving the wrong way to gift Christian Roberts the goal Swindon had already scored once.

Desperate defending from Scunthorpe and bad finishing from Swindon ensured United went home with one point from the game, the first time in three attempts they had secured any points against a team sitting bottom of the league. Some consolation. Having said that, United still lie seventh in the table after 15 games. I, for one, would have settled for that at the start of the season.

So on to the Walkabout for the live draw of the FA Cup first round proper and what excitement there wasn't when we were pitched against Bury. At least it should mean that ex-travel secretary Darren Robertshaw can get to a game following his recent move to Manchester, unless he gets a job working Saturday afternoons.

Time for a quick last pint in the Gluepot before catching the 18.11 back to London followed by a trip to the Harp in Chandos Street, courtesy again of research by Nick Haines.