Scunthorpe United v Mansfield

Saturday, September 25, 2004

Football League Two

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Stanton, Crosby, Butler, Ridley, Sparrow, Kell (Brighton 45), Baraclough, Beagrie (Taylor 71), Hayes, Keogh (Rankine 71)
Subs not used:
Evans, Jackson

Mansfield :
Pilkington, Scott McNiven, Artell, Baptiste, Woodman, Neil, Murray, Curtis, Corden, Larkin, Asamoah (Day 89)
Subs not used:
Langford, Dimech, MacKenzie, O'Neill

SULSESC REPORT

by Andy Skeels at Glanford Park

ONE of the highlights of the season: no, not the football, the Scunthorpe Beer Festival!

Yes, the Stags' visit to Glanford Park handily coincided with the annual ale exhibition, which this year switched from its traditional home at the Baths to the delights of the Crosby.

At one stage, it looked as if there would be enough travelling SULSESC members tempted out by the prospect of both football and ale to fill two carloads, but a combination of wedding photographers and Motor Cycle News journalists (don't ask) put a dent in our best laid plans.

In the end, cars (plural) made the trip north, albeit not filled, and our usual lunchtime rendezvous in the Lawyer was met by the travelling Mansfield London branch, who seemed far from optimistic for their team's chances ahead of the afternoon's head–to–head at the bottom of Donny Road hill.

"We'd be happy with a point", seemed the general consensus of opinion amongst the Stags contingent, seemingly influenced by reports of United's dynamic start to the season.

Whether or not they were happy with a point a couple of hours or so later, we never found out as we didn't venture back into the Lawyer until well after the end of the game. I can't believe they would have been, though.

For the first time this season, United were comprehensively outplayed and there was no doubt at the end which of the teams team was happier with the draw.

Despite making the perfect start with an Ian Baraclough shot from 20 yards straight into the top corner, the Iron were soon back pedalling as Mansfield established a firm grip on the game.

We hung on until half–time, and in fact to within less than 20 minutes of the final whistle, but no–one could say the visitors' equaliser, when it finally came, was undeserving. Lanky centre–half Dave Artell powerfully headed home from a corner to make it 1–1 and raise fears of a second home defeat in succession for the Iron.

Instead, it was United who went closest to snatching all three points, Cleveland Taylor wasting a great opportunity by blazing over the bar and then a "goal" from substitute Michael Rankine being ruled out by the linesman, who deemed the ball had gone out of play before Taylor whipped in the cross which Rankine headed home.

"Happy with a point" was the SULSESC verdict at the end of the match as we headed back up Donny Road hill for the day's real highlight - that beer festival!