Scunthorpe United 2 - 4 Grimsby Town Shadow Scholarship B Team
GTFC Scorers: Beckett 5’, Haines 30’, West 48’, Wootton 55’
Grimsby Town’s Shadow Scholars B’ team made the short trip up the M180 to face local rivals Scunthorpe United in the EFL ECFA NL2. Town’s development team started the game down in 5th position whilst the Irons were sat 5 points clear at the top of the table.
The sides had met in the reverse fixture in the opening game of the season were Scunthorpe had come off 4-1 winners so Grimsby were seeking revenge. The game started in typical local derby fashion with some robust challenges going in all over the park. It was Town however who looked the most dangerous and Lyons almost gave Grimsby the lead but for a last ditch tackle on the 6-yard box by an Iron’s defender.
From the resulting corner the deadlock was broken, a wonderful ball into the box from Young and Beckett headed into the roof of the net with 7 minutes on the clock. Tempers spilled over in the 10th minute as the official sent off one player from each side for an altercation in the centre circle, Young the guilty party for the Mariners.
Scunthorpe, rather fortunately, found themselves level 5 minutes later. A long ball over the top was misjudged by the Town defence allowing Will Pitt the simplest of chances to draw United level. After a rather even quarter of an hour, it was Grimsby who got the next goal on the half hour mark. Some great work by Wootton down the left wing saw him lose his marker and fire a shot after cutting in on his right foot. His effort was only parried to the edge of the box were Haines took a touch and curled the rebound into the corner.
Scunthorpe did muster a few half-chances before the interval however there were no more goals in the first half. We didn’t have to wait long in the second half however for a goal as West gave Town a 2 goal margin. A great pull back from Beckett missed everyone in the 6-yard box and ball rolled perfectly into West’s stride at the far post who fired coolly into the corner.
Before Scunthorpe were able to regain concentration Town had the game in the bag. A long ball over the top caught the Iron defence too high as the went in search of a goal. Wootton raced in 1v1 with the Scunthorpe keeper rushing out to meet him. Wootton just got there first and poked the ball beyond the stopper and then rolled it into an empty net to send the Mariners 4-1 up.
Scunthorpe United never gave up and pushed hard for another goal, unfortunately it arrived just too late. A fantastic 25 yard looping half volley from Conor Jarman in the 82nd minute proved no more than a conciliation. Grimsby don’t move up the table but are closing in on the top 4 now and only 6 points off top position.
