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.