FULL-TIME: Scunthorpe United 0 Preston North End 3
ONE of their worst performances of the season left Scunthorpe United staring relegation in the face after they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Preston North End.
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Preston celebrate going 3-0 in front at Glanford Park.
Goals from Keith Treacy, Billy Jones and Iain Hume before half-time handed a first victory to Lilywhites boss Phil Brown, while leaving opposite number Ian Baraclough with an increasingly tough task to secure survival.
The Iron manager had made three changes to the team which lost to Leicester at the weekend.
With Ben Gordon suffering a hamstring injury against the Foxes, Eddie Nolan stepped in to face his old club, while Paul Reid returned after being sidelined with a rib problem to partner Michael Nelson in defence.
It meant Andrew Wright found himself on the substitutes’ bench, along with Chris Dagnall, who lost out to Michael Collins.
Andy Hughes slotted in at left-back, with Michael Raynes acting as a shield in front of the defence.
And there was a welcome return for Michael O’Connor, out of action for two months with a knee injury, but back among the substitutes against North End.
Aware that victory would close the gap between themselves and fourth-bottom Crystal Palace to just a point, United looked to set Preston on the back foot from the kick-off.
However, it wasn’t long before they were soon camped firmly in their own half.
Looking by far the more threatening side in the first half, the visitors quickly began to apply the pressure.
Ricardo Gardner caused United problems down the left wing throughout and whipped in a cross with less than five minutes played, which Josh Lillis was forced to punch clear.
It was an early warning sign for Scunthorpe, but they failed to take notice and struggled to create any openings of their own, barely managing to put a string of passes together.
North End had no such problems and gladly took advantage of a shocking performance by their hosts.
Hume came close to breaking the deadlock when he connected with Garner’s cross, and both Eddie Johnson and Chris Brown added to the efforts tally.
A goal looked on the cards and it duly arrived with 32 minutes gone.
United found themselves down to 10 men for several minutes while Hughes was receiving stitches for a cut to the face. And with no movement on the Iron bench, it proved costly.
Treacy was given plenty of space to slot the ball home from close range after being teed-up by Hume.
And though Andrew Wright did eventually come on as a replacement for Hughes, he couldn’t stop the scoreline from increasing further five minutes later.
Jones was on hand to bundle the ball into the net following Treacy’s corner on the right.
It was beginning to look like a difficult night for the Iron, who offered very little up front to relieve the pressure at the back.
And it almost got even worse for them when Hume left Lillis in no man’s land in the box before laying a cross on for Johnson, who poked it wide.
It was a let-off, but Preston quickly came back at their hosts and effectively killed the game off two minutes before half-time.
A Hume header was the cue for boos to ring out around Glanford Park as several fans headed for the exit doors.
No changes were made to the team during the interval, but nor did very little alter on the pitch.
United continued to look disjointed and rarely threatened.
Mark Duffy’s curled free-kick with 55 minutes gone was their first attempt at goal of the night, and it flew straight into the arms of Iain Turner.
North End for their part, seemed happy to take their foot off the pedal in the second half, only a tame shot from Nathan Ellington keeping Lillis on his toes.
The home side however, failed to raise their game enough to take advantage.
Nolan made several forays forward but couldn’t unlock the Preston defence, while Joe Garner managed the Iron’s second shot of the match - a thumped effort from outside the box which Turner caught comfortably.
It was a dismal return on a dismal night for United.
SCUNTHORPE: Lillis, Nolan, Reid (O’Connor 57), Nelson, Hughes (A Wright 36), Duffy (Dagnall 63), Raynes, J Wright, Collins, Garner, Miller. Unused subs: Slocombe, Mirfin, Ibrahim, Grant.
PRESTON: Turner, Jones, Morgan, St Ledger, Gardner, Johnson (Nicholson 85), Ashbee, Carter, Treacy (Parry 81), Hume (Ellington 71), Brown. Unused subs: Lonergan, Batron, Clarke, Wright.
ATTENDANCE: 4,190 (490)
21 Comments
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by Iron100 Messingham, Messingham
Wednesday, March 16 2011, 8:24AM
“You pays your money, your entitled to your views, BUT just for a balanced view point. Raines is a likebaly guy that shoes commitment, but he isn't a championship midfieder. The plan to use him in that role against Preston just didn't work, then there was the delay with the substitution which cost us dearly. Would we be in a better situation with Super Nige ..who knows? He took us down and took us up again, I think Baras had an enormously tough job to follow Nigel and started with an average team with no real quality. Give the guy a break/time I think he will deliver for us eventually. Keep the faith Bara, you made some mistakes but so has everyone else making comments on this page FACT.”
by mark, messingham
Wednesday, March 16 2011, 6:59AM
“Wharton's waited too long to sack Baraclot, we all knew he wasn't up to it...clueless and turned us into a joke”
by sid james, Carry on Iron
Wednesday, March 16 2011, 6:28AM
“From Sky Sports: "Scunthorpe's first-half display was as bad as anything witnessed in the Championship all season and on this evidence they will playing their football in League One next term." Baraclot, do the honourable thing.....”
by Blinded by the Wharton light, Scunny
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 11:37PM
“BaraHOOF, it's time you take stock at what you have created at SUFC, for the sake of the stress on you and your family then a suggested departure of you from this club is needed, your statistics are shocking to say the least, i have never seen/heard such negative tactics in all the time of following the IRON, people could understand if we went out of the Championship and taken a bow but the totally inept performance and tactics riles the most hardent fan, your way of football is not a joy to watch, your players commitment is not a joy to watch, it's ugly, it's repulsive and dare i say it the players find it bewildering to? The negative tactics you have served up over the last few games leaves no room for a team with championship status, the fans deserve much better, SUFC will be always remembered for the good football it played in the right way, up until the 2010-2011 season, until when Mr Ian Baraclough took the reigns, sadly the football took a nosedive, as did the performances, the results and the crowd attendances, you've got to hold your hand up and say it didn't work for you, the fans will make sure it never happens again and we learn the lessons from selling the best players we have had to replacing them with little.
Mr Wharton do us all a favour and SOS, that means Save Our Season, surely even you cannot stand the brand of football we have seen lately, regardless, even if it saves you a fortune in money replacing firm soles with plastic somberness, us the Paying FANS deserve a lot better.”
by John, Scunthorpe
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 11:25PM
“Hope Preston don't celibrate too much tonight.They are going down to league 1 the same as we are.
Next years attendance - average 2000 and that's with 1500 away supporters.”
by mark, scunny
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 11:06PM
“was that are 2nd team playing tonight iv see kid in the park play better football”
by Pissed off Scunthorpe, In Deep Despair
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 10:55PM
“God almighty is this the best we can do?.
The clowns on the pitch should ALL be made to take a year off and try earning a living in the real world, maybe then they would appreciate just how bloody lucky they are.ITS CALLED WORK YOU SHIFTLESS LOAD OF SHYSTYERS!!!!!!!!!!!”
by John, scunthorpe
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 10:24PM
“Scunthorpe United FC.You shouldn't have Scunthorpe in your title.You are an embarrassment and disgrace to our town.”
by Kez, Scunny
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 10:23PM
“Well what a joke of a performance that was! Worst game I have seen in 18 years of supporting Scunny.
No pride no passion nothing.
Nothing against Raines but he is not a midfielder. Our midfield is a joke in general. Josh wright is a back and side man, same for Collins. Nobody wanted to get forward or put their foot on the ball at all.
Our forwards had no service at all all night and we never looked like getting in behind the defence on the wings to get crosses in the box.
The defence is not the problem the midfield is! No wonder no one came in for Wright in the transfer window he is not good enough to clean Grant McCanns boots.
Terrible shocking pathetic Iron!”
by DL, Ashby
Tuesday, March 15 2011, 10:21PM
“Baraclough
You are destroying the club with disgusting gutless hoofball. You are not fit to manage. However you are following Wharton's scheme down to a tee. Most intelligent fans won't put up with this spin/lies. Ths is why 3,500 turned up for the 6 pointer. But hey it's the fans fault”