Pontefract Collieries (U18s) 0-4 Scunthorpe United (U18s)

Ponte Colls (U18s) 0-4 Scunthorpe United (U18s)

FA Youth Cup Second Qualifying Round

Thursday 29th September 2022

Nine months on from their night under the floodlights at Old Trafford, this was an FA Youth Cup tie of a very different kind for Scunthorpe United.

It ended in a positive way for the Iron as a mature, sensible and disciplined team performance saw them rack up a 4-0 win over a Pontefract Collieries side who caused a few scares on what was their big night playing against a full-time academy team.

Harrison Poulter bagged twice, Charley Strouther scored one of the weirdest goals I’ve ever seen (think Ronaldinho vs England but more bizarre) and Tyrell Sellars-Fleming capped off a sound individual showing with a goal in the final few minutes.

Having scored a whopping 22 goals in their previous two Qualifying Round matches, Pontefract certainly know where the back of the net is and they gave Scunny an almighty fright inside 30 seconds as Rob Adamson’s 30-yard strike had Iron ‘keeper Ewan Oxborough beaten, only for the ball to crash back off the upright.

That moment might have unnerved a few teams (and it certainly raised hopes of a successful night amongst the locals) but these Iron lads are made of sterner stuff and they soon got themselves on top - even rattling the upright through Josh Cunningham’s clever side-foot volley after a good run on the quarter-hour mark.

Pontefract then provided a few more scares as Oxborough kept out a close-range shot by Joel Learmouth and Harry Elliott-Bell produced a brave headed clearance under pressure - one of those where he headed it narrowly wide of his own post but he knew what he was doing!

Scunthorpe always looked cuter and more composed in possession than their counterparts. They played some good football in high areas, had more territory, and by the half-hour mark the difference between the two teams was seriously starting to show - especially down the right-hand side where Nat Wallace caused a whole heap of problems and had a fine game.

More chances followed with Sellars-Fleming being denied thanks to a goal-line clearance, whilst Charlie Burden-Whittleton twice went close - including a deflected effort which hit the upright after a piercing run inside and subsequent cut-back by Wallace.

Ponte’s stay of execution was short-lived because they finally conceded the goal which paved the way for the floodgates to open on 36 minutes; Sellars-Fleming feeding Poulter who took a touch inside the box before finishing well.

At 1-0, Scunthorpe always needed a second goal to make life more comfortable - and before it arrived just past the hour mark, there were quite a few instances where the back three of Elliot-Bell, Finn Abraham and Cunningham had to deal with long balls and focus defensively.

When the second goal did come, it was in thoroughly bizarre style as Strouther’s left-wing cross looped up and over the ‘keeper and nestled just inside the net at the far-post - at which point everyone just seemed to stop. There was no celebration for quite a few seconds and it was only when the referee jogged over towards the goal and signalled that ‘Oh, yes, the ball did go in the net’ that Strouther was joined by his team-mates to celebrate the fact he’d made it 2-0.

And, just like that cheeky Brazilian all those years ago, I’m sure he’ll say that he meant it!

Now in complete command and with Pontefract evidently tiring, the latter stages were a case of Scunthorpe showing what they were all about as an attacking force.

Elliott-Bell nearly got in on the act when, despite having his back to goal, he planted a header narrowly wide and (I think) the RCB also played a delicious ball over the top for an advancing Strouther who took the ball down well and saw his effort blocked.

Wallace then played a huge part in Scunthorpe’s third goal as he weaved and wriggled his way past four players before knocking the ball on for Sellars-Fleming. He lost his balance just as he was about to pull the trigger, but still managed to poke a pass through to Poulter who finished the move off from about eight yards out - and at this point it really was curtains for the home team!

Sellars-Fleming wasn’t to be denied a goal which his own display merited, however, and he showed some smooth footwork inside the box; swivelling and firing low across the ‘keeper and into the bottom to make it 4-0 on 87 minutes to complete the scoring.

Overall, Scunny can take plenty of heart from this performance because the lads applied themselves excellently and showed the maturity needed to overcome a potential ‘banana skin’. They moved the ball well, played positive football on the front-foot in some good areas and, on another occasion, might have even racked up a few more goals.

Individually, there were some excellent displays - none more so than Nat Wallace at RWB as he pressed high, caused problems, drove at his opponent and stood out as a danger man from early on. A lot of problems came down that right-hand side. He was good, just as Charley Strouther was at LWB - especially in the second half where he scored, had one blocked and showed the same qualities which impressed me at Doncaster on Saturday.

The back three need praise because they ultimately kept a clean-sheet against free-scoring opponents who’ll have been full of confidence. 

Harry Elliott-Bell is class and one of those players I love watching; everything from how he defends to the balls he can play (including another great one over the top to Nat Wallace in the first half), plus his link-up with those around him. I really appreciate what he’s all about as a player. Finn Abraham, similar in stature to Charlie Barks, relished his aerial duels and was belting out instructions and organising things right up until the end (and that’s why he’s a captain), whilst Josh Cunningham nearly scored and contributed at the back when he was required to.

The defence did ride their luck - none more so than in that dicey first few seconds when the crossbar was left shaking but thereafter, when Ewan Oxborough was called into action then he didn’t disappoint as he made some important saves.

Josh Robertson stood out on Saturday and Doncaster and made some good runs in this game to get into hurtful and dangerous areas; Harvey Cribb offered that little bit of composure and Pontefract couldn’t get much out of him all night. Charlie Burden-Whittleton got on the ball a lot and should be happy with how he did; Harrison Poulter again put a shift in, took both his goals well and there’s nothing I can fault about his work-rate over the past 180 minutes which I’ve seen him involved in, and finally Tyrell Sellars-Fleming grew into the game after a relatively quiet opening period, deserved a goal long before it arrived, and the technique for the one he scored was decent.

Scunthorpe will face sterner challenges than this one as they aim to replicate last season’s achievements, and they’ll be looking forward now to the Third Qualifying Round draw tomorrow where the next opponents could range, geographically, from anything between South Shields in the North-East to Basford in the East Midlands.

The Iron’s youth team isn’t bad right now and if they’re able to replicate their performance levels over the past two games and ttake it into league action, it won’t be long before they get results to show for it - and that will push themselves up a few positions in the North-East Youth Alliance table.

Fair play to Pontefract on their cup run and the memories they’ve created, but finally a special mention for the bizarre half-mannequin (see the photo) which lay abandoned inside the ground. 

God knows how it got there…

Pontefract: Brooklyn Atherton, Callum Elvidge (Justin Ascough), Frayza Benton, Josh Falk (Badara Mbenga), Zach Lewis, Joel Learmouth, Tom Joynt, Rob Adamson, Harry Charlotte, Alfie Charlotte, Callum Reynolds (Jordan Bond). Unused Subs: Henry Holder, James Brear, Brad Fisher, Justin Maclean.

Scunthorpe: Ewan Oxborough, Nat Wallace (Lucas Dickinson), Charley Strouther, Harry Elliott-Bell, Finn Abraham, Josh Cunningham, Charlie Burden-Whittleton (Dawson), Harvey Cribb (Devine), Harrison Poulter, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, Josh Robertson. Unused Subs: Josh Murtagh, Grayson Giles, Shay Larkin.

Gainsborough Trinity 1-1 Guiseley

Gainsborough Trinity 1-1 Guiseley

Northern Premier League

Tuesday 27th September 2022

A night out in Gainsborough… something which I’m sure everyone has dreamed about at some point in life!

My primary reason for going to this game (other than to get out the house) was because both clubs have signed a few names who I’m familiar with from watching academy/development football over the past few years.

In Gainsborough’s ranks, there’s a Doncaster connection in Ethan Bojang (who starred for Gambia at the U20 AFCON during his scholarship) and is currently under contract at Trinity. Curtis Durose is on loan from Rotherham (and I’ve seen him previously at U18s level), whilst Scunthorpe’s Fin Shrimpton is someone I planned to watch during his brief stint at Cleethorpes last year - only for him to be recalled 24 hours beforehand. Typical.

Guiseley also have a habit of taking youngsters on loan from professional clubs. In their current crop is Bradford’s Charlie Wood (who stood out in his spell at Ossett United), whereas Joe Ackroyd (another player I attempted to watch on loan at MFK Vyskov in 2021/22 - only for him to be an unused substitute) was unveiled as a new loan arrival from Barnsley only a few hours before this game.

That was good timing from myself, for once, because It wasn’t until after I’d sorted out a ticket for this game that I found out about ‘Ackers’ involvement.

Having seen Barnsley’s U21s involved in a highly-technical 1-1 draw with Peterborough earlier in the day, this encounter under the beaming floodlights at the Northolme Ground couldn’t have contrasted anymore starkly to that one.

That’s because this was feisty. It was physical. It was rough and ready at times - just ask Clayton Donaldson who was involved in a proper old school tussle with Guiseley’s centre-halves all night long. The intensity was strong, players weren’t allowed any time whatsoever on the ball like they always are at development level and, as a consequence, the ball was up in the air far more than it was down on the ground.

Exposure to games of this kind is what every young player needs if they’re to stand a chance of forging a decent career for themselves. It’s far better than development stuff because it's real football - there's no hiding place and I've got every respect for those lads mentioned (who've all got level-headed attitudes which is also very telling) who've thrown themselves out of their comfort zone and embraced this challenge.

None of those who played performed too badly either.

Fin Shrimpton has grown in stature and strength since I last saw him, looks every bit as if he can handle himself and he linked things up with his passing reasonably well at times. Joe Ackroyd showed the energy and enthusiasm to cover every blade of grass, not tire, and deliver a full-blooded display which is typical of what he’s all about, whereas Curtis Durose had an effort saved in the first half, flashed a good ball into the box in the second and really came into things more after half-time to have a decent impact - and it’s clearly testament to his own work that he’s been nominated for Trinity’s ‘Player Of The Month’ for September. Ethan Bojang and Charlie Wood were unused subs.

That said, it was a strange old game and at the end of an evenly-matched first 45 minutes which was high on physicality and where Gainsborough tried to play long diagonal balls a bit too often, the visiting Lions roared into a lead. A ball into the box, coupled with some static and unresponsive defending, saw the ball drop for Mo Qasim who finished from eight yards.

0-1 at the interval.

Trinity looked much more at ease with themselves after the break as they got the ball down and knocked it around with a bit of purpose - although their equaliser was a well-worked counter-attack which ended as Liam Waldock made a run in-behind to get on the end of a through ball and buried his effort across the visiting ‘keeper. 1-1.

Tom Cursons (who came on at half time for Jack Dyche) put in a real lively shift on the left-hand side and did well, except the shot which cleared the stand and ended up in Rita’s front garden on the street opposite, as Trinity pressed for three points.

However, slowly but surely, the war of attrition re-emerged in the latter stages and there wasn’t much between the teams. Nicky Walker forced a shot as Guiseley went close, Cursons almost slid in to connect with Durose’s near-post ball at the opposite end but ultimately both teams had to settle for a point apiece.

The result extends Gainsborough’s run going into Saturday’s local derby with Worksop Town in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round which will probably see a bumper crowd inside the Northolme, whereas Guiseley host Warrington Rylands over at Nethermoor Park.

Next Up: Pontefract Collieries (U18s) vs Scunthorpe United (U18s) in the FA Youth Cup Second Qualifying Round on Thursday... because a night out in ‘Ponte Carlo’ is even better than a night out in glamorous Gainsborough.

Barnsley (U21s) 1-1 Peterborough United (U21s)

Barnsley (U21s) 1-1 Peterborough United (U21s)

Professional Development League

Tuesday 27th September 2022

This game wasn’t enthralling by any means, as Barnsley and Peterborough United picked up a point apiece in a 1-1 draw in the Professional Development League.

Both the goals came in the second half.

Peterborough took the lead when Kai Corbett’s free-kick from out wide found the bottom corner - possibly even taking a minor deflection en route, before Keegan Hartley levelled things up on 65 minutes.

Barnsley’s last PDL game was almost a month ago when they produced a strong team performance in a 2-0 win over Charlton. Peterborough, meanwhile, were in action only a fortnight ago when they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

On a sunny and pleasant enough afternoon, Barnsley got things underway and they initially looked the stronger of the two teams.

The first chance came on 10 minutes when Hayden Pickard’s free-kick from out on the left found Jasper Moon who saw his stooping header clip the post before the ball was hurriedly cleared by Peterborough’s defence.

Moon’s technique in that chance was excellent and another player who impressed in the early stages was Harrison Nejman. The blonde-haired midfielder’s passing was really good - linking-up really well with others by playing balls to feet, and he himself went close to scoring when he found empty space inside the box and drilled a powerful effort across goal and narrowly wide of the far-post.

Fabio Jalo also curled a shot wide from the edge of the area following some good anticipation by Will Hondermarck who nipped the ball off the Posh’s Dan Butler to set another move in motion.

Hondermarck looked sharp and was anticipating things particularly well at this early stage and when he intercepted a loose pass by Butler on 17 minutes, he played a one-two with Jalo and advanced into the box where his eventual attempt at the near-post was smothered by the visiting ‘keeper.

It took Peterborough a while to impose themselves in the game and, after Nejman tested Will Lakin with a 25-yard shot from Hartley’s lay-off, the team wearing blue had a little period of pressure in the run up to half-time - although the only time Barnsley ‘keeper Paul Cooper (named as a trialist last time out against Charlton) was tested was when he smothered a cross towards his near-post ahead of Corbett who was sliding in to meet it.

The Posh lacked accuracy from a free-kick on 40 minutes, before Barnsley had the final chance of the first half which also came from a set-piece. Nobody seemed to cotton on to the fact that the Reds’ two centre-backs were about to combine and Will Lancaster’s deep free-kick was played straight to Moon, who saw another well-executed header this time drop narrowly wide of the post.

In truth, the latter stages of the first half were ‘scrappy’ in comparison to the first 20-25 minutes where Barnsley were dominant and things continued in more or less the same way after the re-start with not that much in the way of quality.

This time, Peterborough began the brighter and, after Lancaster blocked a shot from open play, the visitors soon took the lead. Corbett’s left-sided free-kick beat Barnsley’s defensive wall, then everyone else inside the area, before the ball nestled in the bottom corner. There might have been a deflection en route but, holding his arms aloft in the immediate aftermath, it was clear Corbett was claiming it. Barnsley’s players meanwhile stood screaming at each about the ‘lack of shape’ which contributed to the goal. 0-1.

The Posh continued to look brighter and would have doubled their lead just past the hour mark had it not been for an excellent save by Cooper. The chance arose as Charlie O’Connell got the better of Pickard thanks to some clever footwork out wide and worked his way into the box where he found Kellan Hickinson with a piercing cut-back. The striker then opened up an angle for himself to shoot, but his effort was superbly anticipated by Cooper who used his feet to deny him.

And only two minutes later, the importance of Cooper’s save was underlined as Barnsley hauled themselves back to level terms. A ball in from the right found Danny Benson inside a packed area and his knock-back to Hartley was emphatically slammed into the back of the net. 1-1.

Back level again, the game was crying out for someone on either team to take things by the scruff of the neck, rise to the occasion and play an influential part in helping their team get a winner.

However, what unfolded in the remaining 25 minutes were more scrappy exchanges and not much goalmouth incident - even though Jack Butterfill nearly got a match-winner when he got infront of a defender and leapt fantastically to connect with Pickard’s teasing ball into the box, but his powerful header cannoned back off the upright.

Substitute Josiah Dyer was also played through late on but didn’t trouble the ‘keeper as he snatched at his effort and, in pretty much the last action of the game, Peterborough’s Gabe Overton had to be helped off the pitch after he pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

On the whole, this game overall won’t live for too long in the memory. A draw was probably a fair result (albeit Barnsley created some good chances early on) and no player stood out ‘head and shoulders’ above everyone else throughout the 90 minutes.

A few decent contributions of note which are worth a mention go to Keegan Hartley and Jack Butterfill. The first took his goal well and didn’t have a bad game, whereas the latter tried to use his body and physical strength to his advantage whenever he could - especially so after an incident where he knocked the ball out of Dan Butler’s hands early on (and got lectured by the referee for it). They both worked hard and were a nuisance.

Will Lancaster was solid and steady, if unspectacular, in defence. He made a couple of important blocks at the start of the second half (they don’t go unnoticed) and there was that set-piece delivery for Jasper Moon which they clearly planned in the seconds leading up to it. I can’t believe nobody in the Posh defence twigged onto what was going to happen but the move highlighted one of those little partnerships between individuals within a team.

One player who has grown on me considerably recently is Harrison Nejman. He began this game in a confident manner, had two shots on goal and made things look easy with the simplicity of his link-up play. It was excellent - particularly the weight/accuracy of his passing and his intelligence to get into effective positions where he could hurt the opposition. As the game dynamic altered, he wasn’t able to replicate that positive first 25 minutes to such a meaningful effect, but with Joe Ackroyd having gone out on loan to Guiseley and plenty of U21s games coming up, now would seem to be the time for him to fully-establish himself as a key player in this team. He’s got the ability to do it and I’d love to see it happen.

As for the others, Paul Cooper underlined his importance with his save just before the equaliser and looks to be a solid ‘keeper. Danny Benson was alright with his footwork on a few occasions and will be pleased to have claimed the assist too. Jasper Moon posed the biggest attacking threat, via his headers, out of all the defenders and also got to use his long-throw weapon on two occasions. Fabio Jalo made some good bits of movement, got an effort away quickly when he received a ball and it’s clear that he’s going to be a good player in a few years with more experience under his belt. He doesn’t look out of place whatsoever at U21s level. Hayden Pickard got turned a couple of times defensively and has work to do in that respect but the quality of his crosses and his attacking play was strong - and he initiated some of the neat moves early on. He already has got better with experience and will continue to do so. Will Hondermarck began by being sharp, alert and anticipated situations quite well before his performance tailed off and he was eventually substituted after a mini-melee involving a few Peterborough players which just seemed a bit needless. Jean-Claude Makiessi didn’t really make a notable impact prior to his substitution in the triple change just before the hour mark. Out of the four substitutes, Amir Ariely was perhaps the liveliest amongst them - knocking some good balls down the line. It wasn't the easiest of games for anyone to step into but he did alright to a point.

Nobody really stood out for Peterborough. Dan Butler again added the experience and know-how that you’d expect from a senior player when he’s involved in U21s football (though even he got caught a few times by Will Hondermarck). The frontmen weren’t bad, albeit they were nullified well by the Barnsley defence, whilst Charlie O’Connell played at right-wing-back and again showed snippets of what I like about him thanks to his footwork and composure on the ball.

Barnsley are next in action when they’re 'sent to Coventry' - the game taking place this coming Friday; whereas Peterborough host Birmingham next week.

Doncaster Rovers 4-1 Crawley Town

Doncaster Rovers 4-1 Crawley Town

Sky Bet League Two

Saturday 24th September 2022

There’s been a whole heap of needless negativity surrounding Doncaster Rovers over the past week so this emphatic win over Crawley Town - the biggest in Gary McSheffrey’s managerial reign to date - ought to silence a few critics.

Booed off after losing 1-0 to Swindon Town last week, there’s been plenty of squawking for McSheffrey to be sacked, despite the fact Rovers still went into this game in the top half of the table having played most of the teams above them so far (thus harder games) and having had several injuries.

It was ultimately a comfortable win and a switch to a 4-4-2 formation certainly worked wonders.

Rovers had more possession and territory during a first half in which they were mostly on top albeit without threatening the imposing Crawley ‘keeper, whereas the Sussex side were happy to soak up pressure, play long diagonal balls and attack the full-backs in their bid to get some points to hoist themselves away from the danger zone.

Level after 40 minutes, Joseph Olowu’s header put Rovers ahead (cue goal music by The Kungs) only for it to be very quickly wiped out two minutes later as James Tilley was allowed time and space to drill home an equaliser from the edge of the box.

The second half saw DRFC fully crank up the pressure and after a Crawley defender was correctly penalised for handball, George Miller bagged the first of his two goals with a well-placed spot-kick which was far enough into the corner to beat Corey Addai who dived the right way.

The decisive period which every game has then unfolded as Crawley missed a sitter to make it 2-2 only for Rovers to go down the other end and score in flukey fashion as Miller initially got in the way of Kieran Agard’s shot, yet in doing so he inadvertently flicked the ball through for himself to smash it home for 3-1.

And those unlucky moments always seem to go against you when you’re down at the bottom!

Kyle Hurst then underlined his quality with a goal that everyone will remember for years to come as he picked up the ball inside his own half and beat one, two and then three players - including Crawley’s No.5 who looked like a dead donkey as he was easily beaten for pace, before slotting home. Hurst was blowing himself afterwards as he ran towards his family and friends to celebrate but it was a good goal, a likely goal of the season winner, and everyone appreciated it. As a player that’s the kind of memories you want to create for people and it’s a far cry from the start of this year when he was playing non-league football for Alvechurch and probably quite worried about the direction of where his career might be going. 

Right now, it’s certainly on the up!

Crawley’s directors looked very glum at the full-time whistle and they now languish in 22nd position in League Two - above only Rochdale and Hartlepool who, ironically, are Rovers’ next two opponents. 

It’s still not a crisis because we’re only in September (and the Red Devils actually showed some decent intentions in this game so hope isn’t completely lost) but in the panic-ridden world of professional football, it wouldn’t surprise me whatsoever if their owners dispense with Kevin Betsy as boss in the next few weeks.

Nevertheless, McSheffrey’s critics (of which there’s quite a few if we’re being honest) will no doubt spout ‘Why can’t we play like this every week’ or ‘Why haven’t we played this formation previously?’ after this victory. They’re entitled to their opinion but, ultimately, inconsistency is half to be expected because you’re not always going to win when fixtures are predominantly against top half teams - and that’s not to mention the recent injuries..

You have to be able to ride the rough with the smooth in football and the honest time to judge both McSheffrey and Rovers’ chances of promotion this year is at the halfway point of the campaign. By then, people will have a fair idea of where things are going, games against ‘good’ and ‘bad’ teams will have balanced out and a clearer picture will be available.

The owners at DRFC have stated they want promotion this season but have also long-spouted their intention to be 'self-sufficient' - and as a result of that philosophy, actually achieving a Play-Off spot would, in actual fact, be over-achieving. Those fans who have the bizarre belief that Rovers have a divine right to beat anyone and everyone at this level probably don’t want to let that fact get in the way of their persistent moaning though.

On the whole, even if Rovers just ‘tread water’ and finish mid-table without any threat of relegation, it would represent a step in the right direction and consolidation after the traumatic shambles that unfolded last season.

Realism and perspective is needed - irrespective of whatever happens in the next two games where people will now thoroughly expect two wins.

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-1 Scunthorpe United (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-1 Scunthorpe United (U18s)

EFL Youth Alliance

Saturday 24th September 2022

Two substitutions changed the course of this game as Doncaster Rovers scored three goals in the last quarter-of-an-hour to beat a decent Scunthorpe United outfit at Cantley Park.

Despite of the scoreline, it wasn't actually a great performance by DRFC.

Scunny were the better side for the first 75 minutes; they won the midfield battle and were difficult to break down - although they didn't muster up too much infront of goal either as Rovers' backline (who still haven't conceded a goal from open play this term) once again defended in an organised manner.

A stalemate looked inevitable until Max Adamson broke the deadlock when he latched onto a through ball, shrugged off a defender and finished in emphatic style.

Charlie Petch's glancing header from Will Green's set-piece soon made it 2-0, but any hopes that the visitors would just throw the towel in were unfounded and Harrison Poulter reduced arrears from the penalty spot to set up a tense final eight minutes.

However, Rovers settled things once and for all in the 86th minute; Jack Goodman tapping home from close-range to ensure three points which moves the lads back to the top of the North-East Youth Alliance table on goal difference ahead of Grimsby (who drew with Bradford) and Lincoln (who beat Huddersfield).

Also, by extending their unbeaten run to a sixth game, the result means this is the best start to a season by a Rovers U18s team since 2012/13 when the crop that included Harry Middleton, Mitchell Lund, Josh Meade and Lewis Ferguson, etc, went 10 games unbeaten from August until November.

Match Report

After last week’s win at Burton Albion which sent them top of the table for 24 hours, Rovers were full of confidence going into this game against opponents they did the 'double' over last year. 

Two changes to the starting line-up as Owen Scattergood was handed his first start of the season; preferred to Max Adamson in attack, whilst first-year Freddie Allen replaced Tom Parkinson at left-wing-back. Scunthorpe, meanwhile, were without first-year pro Harry Lewis who was red carded in last week's 5-1 hammering of Rotherham.

Wearing their all yellow away kit and after an evenly-contested and very uneventful first 15 minutes, it was the visitors who slowly began to play more searching balls and establish a stronger foothold.

Harrison Poulter, who spent time at DRFC in his academy days, looked eager and determined to prove a point - and he was involved in the game’s first big chance on 16 minutes when he cleverly dropped back just inside his own half and flicked the ball on for Tyrell Sellars-Fleming to run onto. His technique was equally as good as Poulter's as he weaved his way behind Jak Whiting and advanced into the box where he flashed a low effort across goal and wide of Rovers ‘keeper Jake Oram’s far post.

In their 4-4-2 formation, Scunthorpe continued to look brighter as the first half progressed.

Harry Elliott-Bell and Charley Strouther were good at full-back whilst Harvey Cribb and Josh Robertson complimented each other really well in midfield and won plenty of second balls. When they didn’t have possession, the Iron were happy to show some steel (easy pun to use) by maintaining their shape and just being difficult to break down. 

Rovers’ ball retention was loose at times anyway, and when they did have it, too often it was infront of Scunny or in their own half - making it really easy for the visitors to defend against. There wasn't that much which was either piercing or penetrative.

Just past the half-hour mark, Poulter forced a routine save out of Oram when he span away from Whiting on the edge of the box and hit a low drive goalwards and Strouther was also foiled when he tried his luck with a 25-yard free-kick which was on target albeit easy to save.

You couldn’t fault the Iron for their work-rate and they seemed to be the team who ‘wanted it’ more but they did look susceptible when Rovers could get the ball down and run at them. Allen showed good attacking intent on the left-hand side to twice beat his man with neat and tidy runs, and an opening was almost carved out down the right flank when Alex Fletcher brilliantly broke forward and worked his way into the box, only to see his intended cut-back from the byline intercepted.

Will Flint almost struck a pigeon in one of the trees with a speculative shot five minutes before half-time and, it sort of summed things up that as the first period drew to a close, Rovers still hadn’t forced a save from Iron ‘keeper Ewan Oxborough.

So it remained 0-0.

Scunny would have undoubtedly been much the happier team at this point and, for a large chunk of time after the re-start, there was a similar pattern to the game although Rovers looked even sturdier defensively which meant a 0-0 was starting to look quite possible.

It took until 64 minutes for another opening as Sellars-Fleming connected in acrobatic style to a cross although his attempt drifted harmlessly wide. Three minutes later, Elliott-Bell got a header on target following an excellent run and deep back-post cross by Robertson although Oram gathered the ball quite comfortably.

Rovers had started to play a few longer balls to see if they could find an opening, but each time they did, Finn Abraham and others in the Iron backline dealt with the danger efficiently. Abraham won all his headers and the Iron skipper (I think it was him; if not I've made him sound good) also produced a well-timed last-ditch challenge inside his own box to thwart Jack Goodman, just as he was about to unleash a shot, after Faris Khan worked the ball to him following a throw.

It was clear something needed to change and it was the substitutes who made the decisive impact.

Will Green replaced Allen at the same time Harry Wood came on for Jack Raper, then Max Adamson replaced Scattergood three minutes later, and it was Adamson who soon enhanced his reputation as he got the opener on 75 minutes.

In a goal not too dissimilar to his match-winner against Blackpool in the Youth Alliance Cup a month ago, Adamson latched onto Jack Goodman's flick on from a ball forward and in a one-on-one with a defender, used his strength to break away and get clean through. He maintained his composure and slammed his shot beyond the advancing ‘keeper and straight into the bottom corner. 1-0.

Scunthorpe looked deflated at this point because the goal was against the run of play. They had been the better team and, licking their wounds at having gone behind, they quickly conceded a corner from which they conceded again.

This time, another pinpoint set-piece by Green caused all the problems. His vicious in-swinger beyond the back-post area was knocked back across the six-yard box by Flint and Charlie Petch connected with the deftest of headers from just a couple of yards out to make it 2-0.

You might have thought at this point that the game was done and dusted but Scunny had other ideas.

Grayson Giles was hacked down by Harry Wood in a second ball challenge right on the edge of the box after a Scunny corner, and although Adamson bravely headed away Nat Wallace’s subsequent free-kick, Elliott-Bell managed to recycle play with a dangerous back-post ball where Fletcher clumsily collided with a stretching Robertson.

The referee pointed straight to the spot (and it was a penalty inmy opinion) and, despite a few appeals and protests, Poulter stepped up and hammered a left-footed attempt powerfully past Oram. 2-1.

With momentum now very much favouring the team in yellow, it looked as if a grandstand finish was on the cards. Rovers seemed happy to waste a few seconds whenever they could but with four minutes to go, Goodman restored the two-goal cushion.

In a move which went from back to front in seemingly no time whatsoever, Oram’s kick forward found Adamson on the right and he used his acceleration to weave his way inside. A dangerous ball was then played across the six-yard box and Wood helped it on for Goodman who was lurking in the right place at the right time for the simplest of finishes. 3-1.

Green and Oram both received yellow cards for minor bits of time-wasting in the dying few minutes and Rovers could have even scored again deep into injury-time when a low shot by Goodman clipped the post on its way wide.

The scoreline was harsh on Scunthorpe. They played well whereas Rovers (by their own standards) didn’t, yet the impact which the substitutes had was undeniable - and the three points means DRFC are now back at the top of the table.

Overall Thoughts

From a Rovers perspective, there were two things which I particularly liked.

Firstly, speaking to a few lads afterwards, they were happy to have got three points but they themselves weren’t thrilled by their overall performance. That’s an indirect sign of a good mentality because it smacks of high standards, striving to get even better and make the most of their ability.

I can think of a few other teams who might have just celebrated this result as a ‘win’ and then dined out on the result alone (forgetting the performance) but there’s not a chance of that happening with this crop!

Secondly, something which I liked even more, was the aggressive ‘shit-house’ edge which was very much apparent during the closing stages. At both 2-0 and 3-1, when balls were being cleared away, there were collective roars of ‘YESSSSSSS’ and mini-victories within passages of play being celebrated. The lads were completely behind each other and vocal with their encouragement. That style can rattle opponents but, beyond that, it proves there’s a strong togetherness with every player on the same page and buying into the same common goal.

Mansfield used to do this really well (and quite annoyingly when you were on the receiving end of it), in the era where they always used to compete for the North-East Youth Alliance title. I can draw plenty of similarities between the two teams so keep it going!

It also speaks volumes when a team doesn’t play well, by their own admission, and still gets a win - and a MASSIVE reason for that is down to the defensive back three (Jak Whiting, Charlie Petch and Will Flint) who’ve formed a strong understanding, look confident, and have played nearly every minute of every game together this season. That said, the ball retention in midfield needs to be better. It wasn’t great in the first 55-60 minutes at Burton; similar bits of sloppiness were on show again in this game and with some tough fixtures coming up in October, every player needs to perform well because the top teams in this league will punish any sign of weakness.

Individually, I thought Charlie Petch was excellent (and the mention of Mansfield above has got me thinking back to one of his first youth team games and just how much he's improved since then), whilst Will Flint produced his best performance for a few weeks. 

Freddie Allen still has some things to work on defensively and over time he'll get better, but in an attacking-sense he was good. He wasn’t afraid to get the ball down, be direct and use his pace to try and beat his man - particularly in the first half. It worked twice - including one point where he hurdled between two players and still kept possession to get to the edge of the area, and I liked that contribution.

Jack Goodman is working harder than ever before upfront. He’ll always score goals (because it’s what goalscorers do) but his closing down, pressing and that kind of work, has undoubtedly gone up a few notches over the past few weeks. I've seen that improvement with my own eyes, I've got a lot of respect for it, so keep it up!

The substitutes certainly helped to change the game and therefore, Max Adamson and Will Green deserve a fair amount of praise. 

Max scored one and got an assist (or secondary-assist if Harry Wood is trying to claim it), he got in behind the defence and posed a nuisance when he came on and he just now needs to carry that same threat when he next starts a game. If he does then my sympathies will go to the opposition defence! 

Meanwhile, Will’s set-pieces were sublime and the quality of them are up there with some of the best I've seen for a while. His second corner (which led to the goal) will probably be remembered more than his first which was a horrible inswinger right under the crossbar and down the throat of the 'keeper. He’s got a good turn of pace to go with his sweet left-foot and when he gets a consistent run in the team, if he replicates this form then he'll quickly get a good reputation. I've a lot of respect for how he played in his 20-25 minutes.

Scunthorpe deserve credit for how they performed though. 

For 75 minutes, they were the best team who played to their strengths and, personally, I enjoyed this game as it gave me the chance to learn more about their players and what they can do.

I’ve a new found respect for Harrison Poulter (No.10) and this was one of the best games I’ve seen him have. He dropped back on more than one occasion to link-up with others - just one example being the early chance when TSF flashed a shot across the face of goal. He worked hard against a strong defence, converted his penalty in a confident manner (and he deserved a goal for what he produced anyway), posed a sustained threat and looked sharp. It left a good impression.

Both full-backs were decent. Charley Strouther (No.3) was lively at times and was probably more consistent in terms of his deliveries than Harry Elliott-Bell (No.2) although I’ve liked HEB ever since I saw him last year. He was okay on the ball, got into some exploitative positions - both in and out of possession, showed a bit of pace and was vocal too. None of it went unnoticed. He played centre-back last year when I first saw him (and he impressed then) and I rate his qualities.

Elsewhere, Josh Robertson (No.8) stood out in the second half with how he drove forward in possession and got inside the box on a couple of occasions. He wasn’t afraid to make late runs and gamble on things either, which kind of paid off as he won the penalty. Harvey Cribb (No.4) slightly behind him in midfield also won a lot of second balls, offered that bit of maturity which comes through being exposed to a first team environment, and it was good to see what he could do.

Both Tyrell Sellars-Fleming (No.9) and Nat Wallace (No.7) were a nuisance at times with their movement and skill. It also says a lot about Finn Abraham (No.5) that he was handed the captain’s armband despite the fact he’s a first-year scholar and for a 20-minute spell in the second half, he was really good and won every header, whilst Grayson Giles (No.16) came on and helped to claw a goal back as he initially won the free-kick on the edge of the box. He also scored two goals in the other game involving the Under 16s on the adjacent pitch to underpin his reputation as one of the best strikers who’ll be entering the Youth Alliance over the next year.

Obviously Scunthorpe didn’t get the result, which will frustrate them, but they still ought to take a lot of positives from this performance along with their emphatic 5-1 win at Rotherham Rugby Club last week. They've got the dynamic of a half-decent team and, as I've said, I enjoyed watching them perform well because it’s always good to learn about different players and they left some good impressions.

I’ll be at the FA Youth Cup game at Pontefract on Thursday (which will be a bit different from the last time Scunny played in the same competition - to put it mildly!) and if they repeat this performance then I’d back them to take a step nearer to another night out at a Premier League stadium.

Rovers: Jake Oram, Will Flint, Charlie Petch, Jak Whiting (C), Alex Fletcher, Freddie Allen (Will Green), Josh Lindley (Justin Bennett), Faris Khan, Jack Raper (Harry Wood), Owen Scattergood (Max Adamson), Jack Goodman. Unused Subs: Tom Parkinson, Chris Pooley.

Other results this weekend...

Grimsby 2-2 Bradford; a topsy-turvy game where both teams led.

Lincoln 4-2 Huddersfield; just six goals in an Imps game this week but two more for Julian Donnery.

Mansfield 0-2 Harrogate; a result which reaffirms my belief that Harrogate are improving.

Hartlepool vs Rotherham; who knows?