Scunthorpe United FC

United are into the second round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy after beating Chesterfield 2-0 at Glanford Park.

Goals from Sean McAllister and Gary McSheffrey in the first half gave the Iron the advantage, as a sturdy second-half defensive performance helped them to a clean sheet as Chesterfield’s Jack Broadhead saw red in the closing moments.

The Iron started the game with two changes from the side which beat Walsall 2-1 on Saturday.

Both outgoing players were carrying knocks- Miguel Llera started in place of Miles Addison, with Andy Dawson replacing Marcus Williams. Andrew Boyce returned to the bench after he was recalled from his loan at Vanarama Conference side Grimsby.

Chesterfield arrived at Glanford Park on the back of a decent start to life back in Sky Bet League One, earning ten points from a possible 15 but it was an open start to the Football League Trophy tie.

Gary McSheffrey, who scored an outstanding 30-yard free-kick on Saturday, nearly put the Iron into a lead within 20 seconds, as his shot from a similar distance was saved by the feet of the sprawling goalkeeper Tommy Lee.

Hakeeb Adelakun’s fizzing cross came too quick for Madden before the visitors’ quickly attacked and number nine Armand Gnanduillet pulled his shot just wide from 18 yards.

The Iron took the lead on the 15-minute-mark when McSheffrey’s ball fell in the box rather fortuitously to McAllister. He managed to get it out of his feet to swivel and shoot into the far corner past substitute keeper Aaron Chapman to get his first professional goal for the club. 

The home side’s lead was doubled ten minutes later after stopper Chapman slipped when he tried to clear a pass-back and McSheffrey capitalised on the error to score against his former club.

Chesterfield heaped on the pressure as Daniel Johnson’s whipped corners tested the Iron defence and Charlie Raglan’s header was saved with ease by Bobby Olejnik as it lacked pace and power.

Straight at the other end, Madden tried a clever lob from 18 yards on the right-hand side and the scrambling Chapman did extremely well to tip it past the post.

Banks had a great opportunity for the visitors with the break approaching, after the lively Aribiyi laid it back to him and he failed to strike it cleanly with Olejnik collecting comfortably.

The Iron hit the visitors on the counter-attack as Madden burst down on the left and turned inside, striking across goal and just wide as he came close to putting the Claret and Blue 3-0 up before the break.

Austrian loan ‘keeper Olejnik saved well to help the Iron go in with a two-goal lead as Gnanduillet shot from 25 yards and Charlie Dawes was the next to be denied.

The Spireites’ best chance of the half, though, fell to Dawes, on the right. After a great burst of pace from Gnanduillet, he laid it to Dawes, whose shot was fantastically blocked by Andy Dawson inside the box. 

The second half saw Chesterfield share a couple of good chances, Charlie Raglan came close with two headers and Banks saw his 25-yard strike fisted away by Olejnik.

Madden continued to look lively as he picked the ball up on halfway line and charged into the 18-yard box before Jack Broadhead tackled terrifically and minutes later, his drilled shot from 20 yards was saved.

Substitute Myrie-Williams’ strike was saved from distance, after he replaced O’Neill at the break, and Madden continued to cause trouble for the Chesterfield defence with mazy runs down both channels. 

Banks showed good feet on the edge of the box before placing a shot over Olejnik’s goal into the traveling support and the Iron continued to prevent Paul Cook’s side from getting back into the tie.

This time Dawes’ shot was blocked well by Niall Canavan before Myrie-Williams pulled a low effort wide at the other end.
 
The Iron then made a change to the front two with just under 20 minutes remaining. Madden and McSheffrey were replaced by Lyle Taylor and Billy Kee.

Another chance fell to Banks, as his finesse shot rolled past the Iron goal.

Taylor’s blocked shot was subject to handball claims from the Iron fans shortly before a fracas between both sets of players after Lyle Taylor’s tackle.

Terry Hawkridge, playing right-back in the second period, lofted a ball to the back-post and Kee nearly got his first Iron goal as he nodded just wide.

Visiting defender Broadhead was dismissed six minutes from time after he saw was shown a second yellow card for holding Taylor’s shirt on the halfway line.

Taylor nearly scored in the dying moments of the match as Chapman spilled his 20 yard shot and it trickled past the post before Taylor’s claims for a penalty minutes later were waved away by the referee.

Olejnik secured a clean sheet as a double save in added time helped confirm the win over last year’s finalists in the competition.

Both sides meet again in less than two weeks, when we visit the Proact Stadium in Sky Bet League One.

TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Olejnik, O'Neill (Myrie-Williams, 45), Llera, Canavan, Dawson, Hawkridge, McAllister, Bishop, Adelakun, McSheffrey (Kee, 71), Madden (Taylor, 71).
Substitutes not used: Weaver, Boyce.

Chesterfield: Lee (Chapman, 6), Dawrikwa, Broadhead, Ryan, Johnson, Jones, Raglan, Ariyibi (Onovwigun, 67), Dawes (Beesley, 74), Banks, Gnanduillet.
Substitutes not used: Massey, Maguire.

Attendance: 2,004 (
492 away).