FULL-TIME: Scunthorpe United 1 Everton 5
SCUNTHORPE United were dealt a masterclass in attacking football as their hopes of an FA Cup upset again failed to materialise.
Everton shrugged aside their Premier League goalscoring problems to put five past an Iron side struggling for both form and confidence on the back of their wretched home form.
-
Louis Saha celebrates with Sylvain Distin after giving Everton an early lead.
The visitors were on course for round four from as early as the fourth minute, when Louis Saha put them 1-0 in front.
By half-time Jermaine Beckford had doubled the lead and though Michael Collins' well-struck shot immediately after the beak offered hope to Ian Baraclough's side, defensive generosity was again to prove their downfall.
The recurrence of a troublesome groin problem robbed Scunthorpe of winger Garry Thompson as Everton made only their second ever visit to Glanford Park.
The former Morecambe man was forced off during Monday's defeat against Watford, a match that was only his second start since August.
His absence meant a recall for Collins, while Rob Jones also returned to the starting XI, with skipper Cliff Byrne forced to sit out with a back problem.
Despite in the build-up suggesting he was likely to name his strongest line-up, Everton boss David Moyes made changes to his midfield, handing Leon Osman and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov starts, with the former taking over the captain's armband from the rested Phil Neville.
Jermaine Beckford led the front line, returning to the club where he enjoyed a successful loan spell in 2007.
Given that they had not beaten a top-flight side in cup combat for more than 40 years, Scunthorpe needed a good start if they were to pull off a shock.
What they got was exactly the opposite.
There were just four minutes on the clock when the visitors went ahead, Saha smacking home a left-foot shot from 20 yards out after Jones had been too late to close the former Manchester United marksman down.
As many minutes later it could have been 2-0, but Jones this time recovered well to block a low effort from Beckford after initially being left for dead by the Evertonian front man.
Michael O'Connor tested the palms of Tim Howard with a long-range effort as Scunthorpe went in search of an equaliser, but really it was the visitors who looked the likeliest to add to the scoring.
Marouane Fellaini blazed over on the back of a mazy run by Bilyaletdinov and then Beckford should have done better when denied by keeper Joe Murphy after latching on to Seamus Coleman's sublime through ball.
Sloppy at the back at the best of times, United struggled all afternoon to cope with Everton's speed on the break and when Osman whipped in a teasing left-wing cross in the 33rd minute, Beckford made no mistake from five yards to make it 2-0.
Having looked so far behind their visitors during the opening 45 minutes, Scunthorpe's start to the second half came as something of a shock.
Within 30 seconds of kicking off, Josh Wright dinked a ball through the middle and the previously anonymous Collins got in behind the Blues defence to smash a stunning finish low past Howard and give his side a lifeline.
Yet just when they looked to be building up a head of steam, more careless defending saw them concede a third goal - and hand victory to Everton on a plate.
Beckford this time was the provider, curling in a cross from the left flank which in-form winger Coleman met with a stooping header that bounced inside a static Murphy's left-hand post.
Comfortably in control, the Blues then took their foot off the pedal, concentrating on possession football as Scunthorpe tried in vain to look threatening as an attacking unit.
A fourth Everton goal on 73 minutes added gloss to the scoreline, Fellaini this time being afforded a generous amount of time to roll the ball into the far corner of the net after picking up possession on the edge of the box.
And the impressive Baines made it five with the best strike of the match, swinging his foot through a curling 83rd minute effort that nestled into the top corner of a beleagured Murphy's net.
It compounded another disappointing afternoon at Glanford Park, from which it was difficult to draw any positives.
TEAMS
SCUNTHORPE: Murphy; A Wright, Mirfin, Jones (Raynes 46), Nolan; O'Connor, Collins, J Wright (Togwell 79), Woolford; Dagnall (Godden 66), Forte. Subs not used: Slocombe, Grant, McClenahan, Cowan-Hall.
EVERTON: Howard; Hibbert, Distin, Heitinga, Baines; Coleman (Gueye 78), Bilyaletdinov, Osman, Fellaini (Rodwell 74); Beckford, Saha (Anichebe 64). Subs not used: Mucha, Arteta, Neville, Yakubu.
ATTENDANCE: 7,028 (2,116 away).
34 Comments
View all
by Disgusted, Scunny
Monday, January 10 2011, 7:11PM
“Well said Cynthia, those deplorable half wits at the front were a disgrace to their club and someone should do something about it. One of the morons came on here and posted something but the ST have deleted it, they are disgusting people.”
by Busta, Werkenbach
Monday, January 10 2011, 6:40PM
“Oh dear John, more insults for those people who don't agree with you. Just like the school bully, do you feel like a big man John, insulting people who disagree with your view point? I'm not sure why someone who has the guts to protest by staying away is spineless, far from it, in fact those who go along week in week out and mindlessly clap the dross that is served up, and then give the club praise for what they are doing would appear more invertbrate like.”
by Any Old Iron, North Lincolnshire
Monday, January 10 2011, 12:43PM
“"On the match itself, Forte needs to go." - - you can't say that about him on Saturday. OK not many performed too well but of our forward line I thought he was the one putting himself about a bit. I think with a more experienced player alongside him he'll surprise us all.
Dagnall, Collins and Woolford were ALL invisible once more.”
by Steve, London
Monday, January 10 2011, 10:43AM
“Wharton won't spend big again, not after the disaster called Jones. An Adkins signing. Remember him ?
Cynthia's point is a good one but is an example of SUFC failing to capitalise on away crowds. What is the average attendance this season - 6200 ? We can and would get another 3000 fans in if we planned to give more room to away supporters.
'Poor old' SUFC. Amateurish on and off the pitch.
No way back for Laws, thank you.”
by Cynthia Smith, Scunthorpe
Monday, January 10 2011, 10:43AM
“My two grandchildren had to witness Everton drunken yobs in the FAMILY STAND,smoking,swearing ,fighting,and standing up all the time.Trying to eject them the stewards were losing the battle and 6 police arrived to help.This is not what we pay for or expect to happen. Scunthorpe united put profit before safety and loyalty.It was a disgrace.We couldn't see the donny road goal as these yobs kept standing up and the steward had no hope.They obviously had to let these people have tickets because scunny people didn't want them.
On the match itself,Forte needs to go.He doesn't earn his keep and shys away from the ball instead of chasing it.
We should follow the lead of the some clubs who have sacked their manager for not perfoming.”
by Any Old Iron, North Lincolnshire
Monday, January 10 2011, 10:39AM
“"he is not distributing enough CLUB funds for us to have an epic battle" - - I feel he's doing an admirable job keeping the club solvent BUT where do you draw the line?
How can the club sustain a £5m wage bill on gates averaging 5500?
That equates to almost a £1000 per year season ticket price per supporter.
The supporters don't have unlimited funds nor does the chairman - in what other 'business' do you expect the chairman to subsidise it?”
by Cynthia Smith, Scunthorpe
Monday, January 10 2011, 10:29AM
“My two grandchildre had to witness Everton drunken yobs swearing,standing up,fighting with stewards and police,Antognising us and threatening people in the front row.They were eventually ejected but then we left.The family stand is the wrong place to put these so called supporters.Scunthorpe united put profit before safety and loyalty.Not for the first time either.Will it be the same when we play Hull and they buy more tickets than us.We are season ticket holders but will think twice next season.”
by P.Doff, Johnsville
Monday, January 10 2011, 9:48AM
“Oh Dear John,
Agree with you John that football is like life, up and down. We got up three seasons back but went straight down, no problem as we did give it our best shot. We stayed up last season, fantastic, an epic battle but the TEAM did it.
Now it is different, the team is getting starved by the chairman. The chairman is putting no effort in to stay up, he is not distributing enough CLUB funds for us to have an epic battle. The TEAM is dying, the club is dying and the chairman is killing it.
Lifelong Iron fans have seen nothing like it. Lifelong Iron fans are protesting with their feet. It is the only way they can protest against what is happening. If you are a TRUE fan you would not accept it either. It is a total sell out. An insult to what the TEAM has achieved over the last five seasons.
By the way, a plastic fan is one who only would have turned up on Saturday to watch a Premiership team and their last attended game would have been Man Utd, Man City before that etc......”
by John McCartney, Selby
Monday, January 10 2011, 8:43AM
“Football is about winning and losing, promotion and relegation. For the overwhelming majority of clubs there are ups and downs, good times and bad times.
Bit like life really.
And it is how you react to those bad times, those downs, those relegations, those loses, that shows your strength and character.
Sadly, too many Scunthorpe United followers are spineless wimps who stay away at the first sign of the going getting tough and spend their time like little children on message boards whinging and whining.
Pitiful!”
by CARL LEWIS, DERBY
Sunday, January 09 2011, 11:06PM
“The clock is ticking Wharton,do you do what you have not done for years and invest in the team,or let us go down without a wimper.McCartney,moggie and the rest of the deluded fools need to take a reality check.We are dire ,lack passion and fight.Forty years supporting SUFC and i just despair.Please prove me wrong Wharton. "UP THE IRON"!!!”