FULL-TIME: Scunthorpe United 1 Swansea City 0
A JOE Garner penalty edged Scunthorpe United closer to safety with three crucial points against Swansea City.
The Iron rode their luck at times, but clung on to their second half lead to make it four games unbeaten at Glanford Park.
-
Joe Garner fires the ball home from the penalty spot.
Victory came as welcome relief following successive 2-0 defeats on the road, with manager Ian Baraclough making four changes from the team beaten by Portsmouth on Tuesday.
After opting for a lone striker in midweek, the United boss reverted to a 4-4-2 formation against the second-placed Swans, with Garner back in the starting line-up and partnering Lee Miller up front.
There were also recalls for Sam Togwell and Andy Hughes in midfield, with Mark Duffy and Abdisalam Ibrahim confined to the substitutes’ bench, while Michael Raynes reverted to his more natural centre-back position.
He took the place of David Mirfin, who had made his first appearance since January at Pompey after being sidelined with a thigh injury, joined on the bench by Eddie Nolan, who was replaced at right-back by Andrew Wright.
Frequently lauded as one of the best passing sides in the Championship, Swansea undoubtedly found the going tough on the Glanford Park pitch.
But they still looked the more dangerous in the opening minutes as they tried to put their hosts on the back foot.
Scott Sinclair came closest to breaking the deadlock, cutting in from the left-hand side and closing in on goal just past the 10 minute mark.
But Josh Lillis proved equal to his shot from inside the box and pulled off a decent save.
Nathan Dyer looked to follow that up minutes later, though his rising effort failed to trouble the Iron goalkeeper.
With little created by either side, the nearest Scunthorpe came was in the 16th minute, when good work by Garner set-up Michael Collins. The midfielder though, could only conjure a weak attempt, which was comfortably gathered by Dorus De Vries.
It was a rare opening for the hosts, who gave the ball away too frequently in the opening stages and allowed City to capitalise on their mistakes.
Andrew Wright was required to clear the ball off the line when Joe Allen clipped the ball over the on-rushing Lillis, while Mark Gower tried to make the most of some space but shot inches wide.
The margins were proving small, and Garner had a chance to push them in favour of the Iron when he ran on to Josh Wright’s punt forward.
The Scunthorpe front man got the better of Alan Tate, but not De Vries when he fired from a tight angle.
Although United worked their way into good positions, they were unable to make the most of them, while simultaneously causing their own problems at the back with loose balls and squandered possession.
Craig Beattie beat the offside trap as the game neared the halfway point, but blasted over, while a shot from Dyer required some mopping up from the home defence after being spilled by Lillis.
Baraclough’s men came out from their half-time team-talk looking lively and made a positive start to the second half.
But they struggled to create any clear-cut openings, Josh Wright only able to send the ball sailing over, and Swansea remained a potent threat.
They continued to cause United problems and mounted strong appeals for a handball offence in the box from Mark Gower’s free-kick.
It was Scunthorpe though, who bagged the spot-kick minutes later when Garner was tripped by Alan Tate in the box.
The Iron forward took the penalty himself and finished emphatically to give his side the lead with 71 minutes played.
City continued to pressure as they sought an equliser, but it was Scunthorpe who could have made a further dent in the scoreboard.
Miller should have done better with an effort which sailed wide, while Ibrahim could only shoot straight at the keeper when in space in the box.
Garner too, could have doubled the lead when he struck the underside of the bar from an impossible angle.
But in the end, the single goal proved to be enough and United moved to within a point of fourth-bottom Crystal Palace, with safety firmly in their sights.
SCUNTHORPE: Lillis, A Wright, Nelson, Raynes, Gordon, Collins (Duffy 85), J Wright, Togwell, Hughes (Ibrahim 81), Miller, Garner (Grant 88). Unused subs: Slocombe, Mirfin, Nolan, Godden.
SWANSEA: De Vries, Rangel, Tate, Williams, Taylor (Moore 75), Sinclair, Gower, Allen, Britton (Dobbie 66), Dyer, Beattie. Unused subs: Ma-Kalambay, Van Der Gun, Serran, Moore, Agustien, Richards.
ATTENDANCE: 4,608 (412 away).
14 Comments
View all
by CARL LEWIS, DERBY
Sunday, March 06 2011, 8:25PM
“Moggie as chief happy clapper of SUFC,please do not be so up yourself.At the end of the day as iron fans we all should want the same thing.That is to show improvement on and off the pitch,and i really think it is time Wharton came clean to our fans and told us of the plans for the future of our club,if he has any and values supporters of SUFC.Anyway another massive 3 pionts,we need to go 4/4/2 at Barnsley and keep the pressure on teams around us."UP THE IRON"!!!”
by Robin Jackson, N Lincs
Sunday, March 06 2011, 4:51PM
“The only stat that counts in a game of football is the final score, the rest are meaningless. It's nice to win and play well but any victory will do for me. I'll be at Barnsley on Tuesday backing the lads to bring another 3 points back here.”
by P.Doff, Winsville
Sunday, March 06 2011, 3:47PM
“Against all odds a welcome three points, our Newcastle of this season without a doubt.
Need to up our away performances now with a point or three at Barnsley possible in the week if we go with the right mindset.
Bad pitch won't last forever but I am convinced we will get hoofball for the rest of the season. Worryingly the stats for yesterdays game don't look good but the points tally didn't reflect them.”
by Hedonist Puncture, In front of the back four
Sunday, March 06 2011, 3:29PM
“Supporter or fan, glass half full or half empty, happy clapper or booooooer, moaner or screamer, it don't matter, it's just about the results, the rest is noise.”
by Robin Jackson, N Lincs
Sunday, March 06 2011, 3:21PM
“Well done to the team on another excellent win. It would be nice to hear praise from the moaners for a change, if they really want SUFC to succeed then they should praise and grumble in equal measures.”
by John, Brumby
Sunday, March 06 2011, 2:30PM
“Credit to Barra - he got criticism for a poor home record but he's brought in his own players and has started to turn things around. 10 points out of 12 not bad. Keep the home form going and I think we will be ok.
I can understand those who had called for Barra to be sacked not wanting to admit they are wrong but surely they must be pleased the team are getting some good results.”
by Aussie Iron Mick, On the net, supporting the Iron
Sunday, March 06 2011, 10:10AM
“Over the past weeks I have read the comments from various supporters and fans whose main discussion point has been who is the Best, biggest or "real" fan/supporter.
As far as I am aware a football supporter or fan is someone who follows a team of their choice by either attending the matches, reading about them, sticking with them when they win lose or draw or having an interest in their progress. Whichever they do they are aware of the team, its make up and its progress and will always hope for a win. So therfore I believe every person that contributes to this web site with a reasonable comment about the team is a supporter (Dufuss Dave from Hull and his likes do not provide reasonable comment). The only difference between all of us supporters is our level of intensity and that level does not determine how "real" we are at supporting. Lets face it, we all want the same thing - the Iron to do well. Yes I will be called a happy clapper - so what - I'm still a supporter and still a fan. Well done boys on the wins over 2 high flying clubs, if our ground is responsible then that is what you call the home ground advantage and we need to use that. Even if Swansea played all over us and we snagged a lucky goal, thats good luck for us as we have had our share of the reverse situation. With a game in hand against Preston, a game to play against Crystal Palace and our home turf causing havoc to visiting clubs, I hold hope that we will survive the drop and stay in the Championship for another year.
Up The Iron”
by Eddie Murphy, Beverley Hills
Sunday, March 06 2011, 9:53AM
“Perhaps oscar, they're out celebrating the win instead of rushing home to snipe at their internet enemies, eh? Great result, but it doesn't mask the fact we started without a single player who knows how to take the ball forward. We desperately need a replacement for wooly, as I doubt the players have it in them physically to graft like that every game.”
by Oscar O'Moggie, Brigg
Sunday, March 06 2011, 9:44AM
“'recent home wins, all against poor teams or flukes'
Forest and Swansea certainly weren't poor teams. Scuthorpe may have been second best in those games but their victories were a result of hard work, teamwork and 100% effort, nothing to do with flukes. Credit please where credit is due.”
by Heidi, Scunthorpe
Sunday, March 06 2011, 9:41AM
“Well done boys. People are right, you aren't very pretty but as all supporters know although sometimes wont admit it , its results that count and yesterday takes us closer to possible survival in this league.
From some of the comments on here its like some so called fans would prefer us to go down so they can do there favourite two things - CRITICIZING & MOANING.
Lets be happy & celebrate getting three points - here's to lots more & championship football next season.”