Scunthorpe United 3-1 Exeter City

Scunthorpe United 3-1 Exeter City
Sky Bet League One
Tuesday 22nd October 2019

This isn't a game that will live for very long in the memory though Scunthorpe United will hope it proved to be an important win which kick-starts their season.

Despite being one of the pre-season favourites for promotion, the Iron have struggled under new boss Paul Hurst - so much so that a different set of results tonight could have seen them drop into the only relegation spot in the division.

However, they won (and pretty comfortably, too) against opponents who have endured a torrid few days on the road as Exeter also got 'pumped' 4-0 at Cambridge United last weekend.

As with most games, in reflection there were a couple of decisive moments; none more so in this particular match than when Ryan Bowman broke clean through early in the second half, but smashed his powerful attempt wide of the target.

It was a huge, important miss in a period when Exeter were getting in-behind their opponents and causing problems. Had Bowman scored (which would have drawn the visitors level) then with more than half-an-hour still to play there's every chance they would have gained momentum and possibly even gone on to take all three points themselves.

But the shot didn't go in and, instead, as soon as Alex Gilliead gave Scunny a two-goal cushion with around 15-20 minutes to play, a comeback never looked likely.

Anyway, this was my first visit to Glanford Park in just over a year and it was never going to be as memorable as the previous one; a 5-0 'hammering' by Fleetwood Town and a gutless showing from Scunny which got Nick Daws sacked soon afterwards.

For the opening 20-25 minutes in this clash, not much happened.

Ball retention wasn't good enough from either the hosts or Exeter - far too many passes went astray and aside from a curling free-kick which required a save, pretty much nothing was created from open play.

It came as a surprise, therefore, when James Perch unleashed a ferocious 30-yard effort on 24 minutes which flew past Jonny Maxted and into the net. It was a goal which shocked most folk inside the ground as they subsequently celebrated to the 'cheesy' Tom Hark goal music now blasting out from the 'tinny' PA system.

What didn't come as a surprise though was that Scunny's lead lasted for barely a few minutes.

The Grecians were backed by a noisy contingent, albeit small in numbers, and immediately 'upped their game' after conceding - looking sharper, slicker and more penetrative on the ball and it paid dividends with Matt Jay firing home with a low drive.

A scrappy period followed before Scunny got their noses ahead again shortly before half-time when Exeter couldn't effectively clear the danger from within their own box and Jamie Ward smashed a powerful shot into the net.

Exeter clearly had to 'up their game' and that's what they initially did early in the second half, with Jay latching onto Jayden Richardson's through ball prior to blasting an effort into the side-netting from a tight angle, which was followed by Bowman's aforementioned 'huge' miss a few moments later.

Gradually, from this point in the game onward, there was a momentum shift as Scunny began to get a firmer foothold and stifle things when they needed to. Despite some substitutions, Exeter were still unable to carve out much and a third goal for the hosts began to look more likely to happen.

With a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, the third goal eventually happened as Gilliead took up a good position at the back-post where he stretched to convert, following a teasing byline cross from the inside left-channel.

As that cheesy, pop/dance trash tune blazed out from PA system again, it was theoretically game over, barring a near-miracle.

Exeter did get the ball in the net when Scunny's 'keeper fumbled a corner in the dying minutes, but referee Sebastian Stockbridge ruled it out (deeming there to have been a foul) - quite harshly, in my opinion and it was just a case of the goalkeeper being 'over-protected'.

That said, given what transpired on the whole, Exeter lacked ideas, imagination and a spark for much of the last half-hour and, after the chances, they didn't do anywhere near enough to warrant taking any points back to North Devon.

Their supporters will probably be wondering right now whether the wheels are coming off following a bright start - also knowing that another defeat in their next fixture will see them sink from the play-off positions altogether.

That next fixture though just happens to be on home soil against arch-rivals Plymouth Argyle in the 'derby' at the weekend. With local pride and reputations at stake in what's likely to be a ferocious, rip-roaring atmosphere infront of a capacity crowd, absolutely anything could happen!