United 1
(Martin 4′)
Scunthorpe 1
(Beestin 49′)
Match Sponsored by: Patrick Brown & Family
United had to settle for a point on Saturday, as the visitors came from behind to claim a share of the points in a 1-1 draw.
Dan Martin got The Gulls off to a perfect start, and that lead lasted until just after the interval, as Alfie Beestin levelled the scores. Neither side was able to force a winner in remaining period, leaving both sides to take the draw.
Following last weekend’s reverse at Wrexham, the Gaffer made two changes to the starting XI, as Asa Hall and Shaun Donnellan were replaced by Tom Lapslie and Dean Moxey respectively, with the latter player regaining the captain’s armband.
Charged with responding following the setback at The Racecourse, things couldn’t have started much better for the men in yellow.
After soaking up an early spell of possession from the visitors with some ease, a classy counter-attack in the fourth minute saw the Gulls make the breakthrough.
With Kieron Evans and Lapslie exchanging passes just outside the area, a rampaging run from Martin saw the left wing-back pick up the ball before powering into the left edge of the penalty area and planting a calm finish past Marcus Dewhurst to claim his first goal for the Club.
Having witnessed such an impressive start to proceedings, things quietened down somewhat for a spell thereafter, and although The Iron started to enjoy a territorial advantage over the next 20 minutes or so, a well-organised Torquay backline continued to deal with everything that their opponents had to offer.
Goalscoring opportunities were at a premium at this point, but as the match edged towards the half-hour, Johnson’s men began to threaten again, as a ball into the right hand-side of the eighteen-yard box left former Scunthorpe striker Aaron Jarvis with a rather uninviting angle to shot from, however he still managed to force the ‘keeper into blocking the goalbound effort with his outstretched boot.
Clearly relishing the opportunity to put one over his previous employers, Jarvis nearly profited from a lacklustre back pass on 33 minutes, however Dewhurst just managed to beat him to the loose ball and salvage the situation.
The visiting side continued to press – without creating much in front of goal – with only a tricky run into the area by Jacob Butterfield six minutes before the break causing any discomfort for the observing Yellow Army, with Ali Omar on hand to divert the ball away before it could reach Gulls stopper Mark Halstead at his near-post.
With little to report in the intervening period before the referee blew to signal the interval, United were a goal to the good at the change of ends.
Johnson’s charges began the second period on the front foot, however they were hit with a sucker-punch on 49th minutes as The Iron restored parity with their first shot on target.
Some brave defending by The Gulls saw an initial foray into the box stifled, however with the ball falling kindly to Beestin on the edge of the box, his powerful half-volley emerged through a crowd of bodies and found its destination in the back of the net.
Despite the obvious disappointment at having been pegged back, United reacted well two minutes later, with Will Goodwin producing a marvellous piece of skill to take the ball away from a Scunthorpe man in the centre of the park, before sending in a ferocious drive into Dewhurst’s palms.
Moments after, a ball into the six-yard box so nearly had Martin acclaiming a brace, however he couldn’t quite pluck the ball away from the stranded glovesman as he received the low cross at the near-post.
After a tight first 45, the game was now opening up, and there was a let-off for United in the 55th minute, as a low ball found top scorer Joe Nuttall in space ten yards from goal, and with a deflection seeing the ball loop up over Halstead, Scott Smith arrived in the nick of time to hook the ball off the goalline.
How a delicious 62nd minute ball from Moxey’s didn’t receive the touch it deserved on the hours mark is anybody’s guess, with the ball from the left evaded all comers before flashing across the six-yard box and going behind.
The action then shifted up to the other end, with Beestin sending in a low drive from 20 yards that Halstead just managed to touch onto his right post, before Ben Wyatt – on for the injured Dylan Crowe – neatly dealt with a potentially dangerous rebound.
A deep free-kick nearly brought the jackpot with three minutes left, with Jarvis stretching as much as is humanly possible, before sending a looping header onto the roof of the net, with little to spare.
Scunthorpe nearly nicked it themselves at the death though.
In the first minute of stoppage-time, a right-wing pull-back saw Nuttall sending his effort goalwards, however despite Halstead already committed to going the opposite way, a firm left hand remarkably saw the ball sent over the crossbar.
A minute later, and a corner to the back post saw Georeg Taft this time beat the United ‘keeper, however Ross Marshall was thankfully well placed to head off the line once again, to confirm a point apiece.
Not quite the result that Yellow Army were after, but a point to build on ahead of another home game against Maidenhead on Tuesday.
United: 1. Mark Halstead, 2. Dylan Crowe (15. Ben Wyatt, HT), 3. Dan Martin, 4. Tom Lapslie (14. Brett McGavin, 79′), 5. Ali Omar, 6. Ross Marshall, 9. Aaron Jarvis, 11. Kieron Evans, 19. Will Goodwin, 21. Dean Moxey (c), 36. Scott Smith.
SUBS NOT USED: 16. Shaun Donnellan, 22. Rhys Lovett, 23. Ollie Tomlinson.
Yellow Cards: Martin 41′, Smith 47′, Wyatt 74′
Scunthorpe: 1. Marcus Dewhurst, 2. Reagan Ogle, 3. Mason O’Malley, 6. Andrew Boyce (c), 8. Alfie Beestin (4. Elliott Whitehouse, 90′), 9. Joe Nuttall, 12. Jai Rowe, 13. Caolan Lavery 15. George Taft, 19. Jacob Butterfield (30. Tom Pugh, 80′), 25. Robert Apter.
SUBS NOT USED: 16. Owen Foster, 20. Cameron Wilson, 24. Kgosi Ntlhe.
Yellow Cards: Ogle 45+2′, Butterfield 56′, Pugh 72′, Boyce 76′, Rowe 81′, Nuttall 90+3′
Attendance: 2,111 (116 away)