Scunthorpe United v Bury

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

English FA Cup

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Byrne, Stanton, Butler, Williams, Sparrow (Johnson 105), Hinds, Baraclough, Corden (Taylor 58), Sharp, Keogh
Subs not used:
Evans, Ridley, Richie Ryan

Bury :
Edwards, Scott, Challinor, Woodthorpe, Thomas Kennedy, Buchanan (Fitzgerald 118), Mattis, Flitcroft (sent off 119), Whaley, Adams, Reet (Tipton 55)
Subs not used:
Dootson, Quigley, Youngs

SULSESC REPORT

by Martyn Girdham at Glanford Park

A FREEZING cold evening and extra-time at Glanford Park was just the ticket (not) following on from United's shambolic TV display at Blackpool just over 48 hours earlier.

The game at least gave United the chance to have a break from their miserable league form, where two wins in nine games has increased fears of an impending relegation battle from realists like me!

My prediction that 'the Iron will need to score at least three goals to win' proved to be way off beam as both teams contrived to miss what chances were on offer in a low quality but stirring cup replay.

The noisy Bury contingent of almost 600 (Bury filled five coaches by only charging £6) helped give the game a real cup-tie atmosphere with the Donny Road end reciprocating in kind.

A returning Nathan Stanton, as captain, gave some much needed pace to the Iron back four and he was the star man despite picking up a yellow card.

For once, the much vaunted strike pairing of Keogh and Sharp didn't produce the goods and the visiting fans and Bury directors (sat just behind me) gave Keogh a lot of stick.

In truth, the game could have gone either way and United could not have complained if Bury (the team with the shortest name in English football) had won over 90 minutes.

Come extra time and United at last took control of the game, putting on a lot of pressure. Full credit to the players as they showed no signs of fatigue following the energy sapping 10 men backs-to-the-wall job at the seaside only two days earlier.

Sharp headed one glorious chance wide before super sub Tommy Johnson scored his first Scunthorpe goal three minutes from time to save us all from the penalty shoot-out that Bury looked to have settled for and which seemed inevitable.

With spot kick experts Beags and Crosby missing, the winning goal was perhaps a blessing in disguise.

I had spent the previous five minutes, screaming at Lawsy to get Tommy (the Evans variety) on instead of Mussy in time for the shoot-out!

So United it is who take the £16,000 prize money and who have the, perhaps, unenviable reward of a real banana skin trip to Aldershot.

Despite Stanton's pace at the back, I find it hard to believe the Iron will suddenly be able to replicate this clean sheet regularly enough in the league.

Another cup run, although taking the focus away from our bad league form, will at least help swell the coffers and give Lawsy the opportunity to strengthen the league's second worst defence.

Footnote: A couple of days after this game, King Brian said: "After our magnificent start, we have a great chance of taking the club into the Championship this season."

Ah well, perhaps my relegation fears are unfounded and a run of two wins in nine league games, shipping goals left right and centre, is really gearing us up to promotion!