Scunthorpe United v Sheff Utd

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Football League Championship

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne (sent off 90), Crosby, Butler, Youga, Sparrow, Goodwin, Baraclough, Hurst, Hayes (Forte 61), Paterson (Taylor 66)
Subs not used:
Lillis, Cork, McBreen

Sheff Utd :
Kenny, Geary (sent off 89), Morgan, Kilgallon, Bromby, Armstrong (Alan Quinn 76), Montgomery, Tonge, Gillespie (Webber 63), Sharp (Stead 76), Beattie
Subs not used:
Bennett, Lucketti

SULSESC REPORT

by Keith Solomon at Glanford Park

WITH Returnee Billy getting the pre-match applause he deserved, Glanford Park settled down packed to the rafters for the latest instalment of the Iron's adventure into nosebleed altitude.

I have passed water under a lot of bridges since Scunny's early eighties triumph over the Blades at the Showground, but memories were rekindled during the early exchanges, as our supposedly illustrious visitors looked every bit a basement division outfit.

Rumour has it that claret and blue isn't Sheffield United's favourite colour scheme, but it was the Lincolnshire version on the pitch rather than that of East London in the High Court that provided the test, amid an atmosphere that was actually quite impressive.

Twenty minutes in, Paterson latched onto a backpass, slotting it home, only to find the officials had re-written the rules and this apparently made him offside. Oh, the perils of playing the supposed big guns!

Despite being unworthy of being on the same pitch as our opponents, albeit whilst playing them off it, Crosby's 38th minute opener was allowed to stand, just reward for the Iron's greater determination and, yes, superiority.

Preserving the lead until half-time, hostilities resumed with hope, if not expectation, after all, expensive rubbish couldn't remain disinterested and second best forever could it?

Just after the hour, Uncle Nigel's Midas touch worked a treat, newly introduced Forte rubbing his former employers’ noses in the GP dirt by putting Paterson in for 2-0.

Sharp's return could and should have brought him the inevitable goal, but Murphy and lady luck kept him out. Sadly, this wasn't to be true of Webber, his replacement, who sewed the seeds of doubt, making it 2-1 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

A game that should have been won was now in the balance and four minutes after his first success, Webber's second levelled matters, the visitors once again benefiting from ref in the pocket syndrome to assist them.

The prospect of getting less than the deserved win was made worse by the feeling our visitors might just steal the points, but our referee felt this pulsating game wasn't making him the centre of attention enough and so he dispatched Cliff Byrne and Geary to the shower room for a spot of handbags that was more arty Gucci than mean streets fisticuffs.

Handbags safely put away, everyone wondered if the day had one final sting in the tail. Feeling sorry for themselves has been a frequent failing of Scunny sides in the past, but not this time, as Matt Sparrow forced home the ball from the post- handbags restart to delirium, disbelief and whatever else of the 'D' variety floats your boat. 3-2 up...surely not?

In truth, a poor visiting team made stoppage time less of a matter of heart stoppage time than it should have been, but the much talked about spirit within the Iron was never better illustrated.

It was left to myself and Dave Ashton to take on the "let's try not to look too smug as far as Donny on the train" duties for SULSESC and I think we just about managed it. Let’s hope it's a skill we get to practice a few more times this season!

Should have had the game won, should have been robbed of two points, should have had more respect for our ‘big club’ opponents, but then, that's why we're champions, as they say!