By Match report: Scunthorpe play out goalless draw at York
Scunthorpe United were held to a frustrating goalless draw at York City in the National League last night.
The Iron had chances to seal what would’ve been an important victory as they aim to beat the drop, but they couldn’t find a goal and were forced to settle for a point.
Jimmy Dean made just one change from the side that was comfortably swept aside by Notts County on Saturday, as Dean Rance replaced Fin Shrimpton in the starting lineup.
It was the hosts that started the game the better of the two sides, penning United back in their own half and looking dangerous without really threatening Tom Billson’s goal too much.
The Iron settled down after a shaky opening 10 minutes, as they looked to get their foot on the ball and play through the lines. They manufactured a couple of openings, but the final ball wasn’t good to create any real chances.
The first big opportunity of the game didn’t arrive until beyond the midway point of the half when Ryan Fallowfield picked the ball up on the right and delivered a dangerous cross into Lenell John-Lewis, who looked destined to score before Reagan Ogle made a superb, latch-ditch tackle to clear the danger.
A golden opportunity came about for United half an hour into the contest, as Cam Wilson drifted in off the right flank and hit a left-footed shot from the edge of the area that Ryan Whitley did well to push behind for a corner.
With the visitors taking control of proceedings and growing in confidence, Jacob Butterfield had the best chance of the game to that point when Sean Shields, who was causing problems down the left, played the midfielder through on goal, but the keeper made a good save to keep the scores level.
They had another chance through Richie Bennett a few minutes later, with the striker rising highest to meet a cross into the box and Whitley coming out on top yet again with a fine stop to deny the Iron.
York almost grabbed a goal against the run of play just before half-time, as Fallowfield caught Billson out at his near post, but the ball struck the upright and went behind for a goal kick.
The hosts were the brighter side in the opening moments of the second half and went close to finding the breakthrough, with Billson making an excellent save to prevent United from going behind.
The game then became a bit of a scrappy affair, with York largely on top and limiting the Iron to very few opportunities to get the ball forward into dangerous positions, while also failing to create any clear-cut chances of their own.
With 15 minutes remaining, Bennett had the best chance of the game when he was sent through one-on-one with the keeper. The forward took a heavy touch that didn’t help his chances of scoring, before powering the ball high and wide of the goal from a position he simply had to better from.
At the other end, Billson then produced a goal-saving stop, as a ball across the box deflected off Will Smith and, just as it looked to be heading for the bottom corner, quick reactions from the keeper allowed him to get a strong hand to the ball and tip it around the post.
York finished the game on top and were the only side really looking like claiming all three points. John-Lewis had a decent chance inside the area, but he couldn’t find the target.
It ended all square, with both sides having to settle for a share of the points after having opportunities to find a winner. It leaves United facing an uphill battle to remain in the National League.
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