By Match report: Scunthorpe suffer defeat at home to Barnet
Scunthorpe United were beaten at home by promotion-chasing Barnet in the National League last night.
A debut goal from Gerry McDonagh wasn’t enough for the Iron on the night, as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Glanford Park in front of more than 5,000 fans.
In his first game in charge of the club, Jimmy Dean named new signings Jake Leake and McDonagh in the lineup, while Fin Shrimpton and Liam Feeney were also drafted in from the start.
The hosts started the game well and almost went ahead through Cam Wilson early on, but after the attacker’s effort was deflected towards the bottom corner, Laurie Walker pulled off a fine save to keep it out.
Barnet’s first chance didn’t come until 21 minutes into the contest when a scramble inside the box led to Owen Foster eventually making a comfortable save.
Harry Pritchard then had another opportunity for the visitors, but his improvised scissor kick went sailing over the bar.
The momentum had shifted in the Bees’ favour by this point and the pressure eventually told. Dale Gorman’s free-kick from a tight angle was whipped into a dangerous area and, after no one got a touch inside the box, it was straight into the bottom corner.
In the 40th minute, George Taft had a decent opportunity to level things up, but the defender couldn’t quite direct his effort goalwards after getting on the end of a cross into the box.
Elliott Whitehouse then had another chance for the Iron just before half-time when his header from Leake’s long throw went just over the bar.
It was Barnet that started the second half the better of the two sides, pinning Scunthorpe back in their own half during the opening stages.
Their pressure eventually told when Gorman grabbed his second when he found himself free inside the box and he fired an effort into the top corner.
The Iron quickly halved the deficit on 62 minutes through McDonagh, as the big centre-forward slotted the ball home from about 10 yards out to get his side back into the game and the crowd in full voice.
Their spirits were dampened just minutes later, though, as David Moyo put Barnet back up by two goals with a close-range header.
Gorman was then inches away from sealing his hat-trick, with his free-kick just going wide of the target.
Debutant Dion Sembie-Ferris almost grabbed his first goal for the Iron just minutes after coming on as a substitute when he got on the end of Alfie Beestin’s cross, but Walker pulled off an excellent save to deny him.
Wilson then had a chance late on, but he couldn’t direct his effort on target, as the visitors secured a deserved win that leaves the Iron still languishing in second bottom in the National League table.
(Image: Luke Broughton)
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