Scunthorpe Utd 2 – 1 Wealdstone – Match Abandoned

With their unbeaten start to the Enterprise National League season still intact, the Iron would again look to expand on it against a Wealdstone side that have started the season very brightly against all expectations.

Despite their encounter in midweek getting abandoned courtesy of a horrible clash of heads, Scunthorpe came into the game with fresh legs and an open mind ahead of the new game week.

There were to be three alterations for the Iron this afternoon from the side that featured in the abandoned midweek fixture with Eastleigh. With United following concussion protocol on defender Jean Belehouan, he was to be replaced in the starting XI by the versatile Kian Scales. Elsewhere, two forward dropped to the bench in the form of Billy Chadwick and Carlton Ubaezuonu and were subsequently replaced by the returning Declan Howe and Alfie Beestin. Finally, there was a late inclusion for new signing Jonathan Gjoshe, who was immediately called up to the bench.

Following a change of ends that was orchestrated by the away side the Iron would get the game underway at the Attis Arena and started proceedings positively by spreading the ball out to the wide area and forcing Stones goalkeeper Jamal Baptiste into some early action.

Despite United’s fast paced start Wealdstone would hit back with a counterattack that resulted in the game’s opening goal in the fifth minute. After a direct run down the line from Anthony Georgiou found the Cypriot wing-back in space, he would look to wing a cross to the back post for the run of his opposite wide man Enzio Boldewijn who rose highest in the area to power the ball beyond Rory Watson and into the net.

Following the opener the Iron would look to hit back immediately from square one and would almost do so through some cunning link up from Oli Ewing and Alfie Beestin. After the two Scunthorpe players combined to release Ewing into their opponent’s penalty area, the midfielder would see his shot cannon back off a defender with the second ball falling to a similar outcome as the ball was cleared away.

Despite falling behind Scunthorpe were still creating the majority of the games chances and were rewarded for their persistence in attack when they found the games equaliser. The goal would come in sublime fashion from the lively looking Beestin who latched onto a loose, bouncing ball on the edge of the visitor’s area and instinctively lashed the volley beyond the stranded Baptiste for 1-1, in what is a sure contender for the next goal of the month.

Now on level terms with the halfway point approaching, the Iron would build upon their equaliser with a quick fire second through the ever-present Whitehall. It would be one of the easiest goals Whitehall would have to score this season from a matter of yards as he superbly read Cal Roberts’s pinpoint cross into the danger area, before heading the ball into the bottom corner to give Scunthorpe a thoroughly deserved 2-1 lead.

With half-time a matter of moments away Scunthorpe came agonisingly close to extending their advantage with what would’ve been a goal of the season contender, never mind goal of the month. After receiving the ball with acres of space Infront of him and 35 yards from the target, Tyler Denton would stride onto his own touch with a thunderous strike from range that dipped towards the target, only to be tipped over crossbar by the scrambling Baptiste.

When the sides returned to the field of play for the second period the game would become somewhat of a dead heat with United defending their lead valiantly and limiting the Stones to as little opportunities as possible.

With the visitors pushing forward for a goal to tie the scores it would cause the play to open up and provide United with a golden opportunity on the counterattack. After being threaded through the Stones back line by a sublime through ball from Joe Rowley, Roberts found himself one on one with the goalkeeper with players in support. After raiding his head, the winger would look to square the ball across to a teammate only for the ball to be deflected away from a goal by a recovering defender.

With just one major attack to report in the second half the game would come to a sour end in unbelievably a similar manner to the previous game with play being brought to an end via abandonment. After Wealdstone substitute Daniel Nkurmah was brought down inside the Scunthorpe penalty area, the forward would remain on the floor requiring medical assistance that took a substantial amount of time, resulting in the Iron’s second abandonment in a week.

IRON: Watson, Evans, Boyce, Howe, Beestin, Whitehall (Ubaezuonu, 66), Roberts, Rowley, Ewing, Scales, Denton

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Eze, Brogan, Beck, Dawson, Chadwick, Gjoshe.

ATTENDANCE: 4,460 (57 away)

REFEREE: Declan Bourne