United again owe it all to Cammack

SCUNTHORPE 1
Cammack (50 min.)
EXETER  0

Attendance: 1,343.

By BOB STEELS

Striker Steve Cammack, the man who has scored so many valuable goals for Scunthorpe during the past four seasons came to their rescue again at the Old Show Ground last night. In another tense and often untidy affair, this time against fellow strugglers Exeter, he kept his nerve and composure to Isnatch the only score of the game in the 50th minute. That, coupled with two equally vital saves from young goalkeeper Paul Johnson, earned United the three points they so desperately needed in their continuing battle to climb clear of the
re- election zone. It was a match where once again the result was always going to be more important than the performance, and that 1-0 scoreline lifts the Iron well away from the bottom four. But though other results also went well for them last night, they could still require one of two more points from their last three games to be assured of safety. Manager Frank Barlow was pleased with the three points, though none too happy with his side's performance. "In our present position you cannot really expect us to play with much freedom," he declared. 'We lack self-belief and zeal in our play, and at the moment getting three points is all that matters, though I was still not satisfied with our display last night." Certainly Scunthorpe looked nothing like the side which swept to a 7-1 triumph against Exeter in the corresponding fixture last season. There was too much tension and not enough fluency in their play and only for a brief spell at the beginning of the second- half did they really take the initiative. Exeter, who have now slipped below United on goal difference, made things difficult by pulling men back quickly behind the ball and relying on the quick counterattck. With the Iron's central midfield duo of Steve Lister and Dave Travis both ruled out through suspension and injury doubts respectively, the home side lacked authority in their engine room department. The recalled Tommy Graham worked hard to hold things together but Scunthorpe produced little down the flanks to support front-runners Cammack and Keith Houchen. In the opening 45 minutes it was the attacking sorties of full back Billy Russell which posed most threat for the visitors whose goalkeeper John Shaw did not have one direct effort to save before half-time. The nearest United came was a header across the face of the goal by Graham to which both Cammack and Houchen just failed to add the finishing touch. They also had appeals for a penalty turned down when Graham appeared to be impeded in the box as he tried to get in a shot. An unambitious Exeter outfit seemed happy to settle for a point from the start, though they did give United some anxious moments on the break. In the 27th minute Steve Harrower dispossessed Les Hunter on the edge of the box to get in a fierce left-foot shot which goalkeeper Johnson did exceptionally well to turn away low to his right. Johnson also had another scare when Richard Money diredted a back-pass wide of him and the young 'keeper had to race back to claim the ball just before it crossed the line. For the second successive home game, Scunthorpe left the field at half- time to a chorus of boos from the terraces, but at the beginning of the second half they began to find the urgency in their play which was required. Dave Hill provided the first test for Shaw with a sizzling lef-foot shot from the edge of the box which the 'keeper was happy to turn over the top. And it was Hill again who created the opening for United's decisive 50th minute goal. His through ball from deep in his own half sent Cammack racing clear from the half-way line The 31-year-old striker then showed all his vast experience as he carried the ball into the box, held off a challenge from defender John Impey, and then fired his shot confidently to the right of the advancing Shaw. It was Cammack's 11th League goal of the season and for the fourth year in succession leaves him out on his own as the club's leading marksman. Although the Iron continued to enjoy most of the possession, with Houchen working hard up front, they rarely looked like adding the second goal they needed to try and make the game safe. Fifteen minutes from time, Exeter introduced their leading marksman Tony Kellow from the substitute's bench in place of midfield man Gary Jackson. And nine minutes from time they almost snatched an equaliser when Martin Ling burst through from the half-way line from a position which looked suspiciously offside. With the flag staying down, Ling made progress to the edge of the box where he was brilliantly denied by a smothering save from Johnson who has struggled to find his best form at home while deputising for the injured Paul Gregory. It was a vital save which helped Scunthorpe to an equally vital win on a night when they just managed to scramble the result they so desperately needed. 

They have now taken seven points from their last three games all at home and their hopes to avoiding a re-election application now seem much brighter..

Scunthorpe:
Johnson, Russell, Money, Hunter, Longden, Brolly, Graham, Hill, Broddle, Cammack, Houchen; sub. Travis.

Exeter:
Shaw, McNicholl, McCaf- fery. Impey, Viney, Ling, Keough, King, Jackson Kellow 75 min.). Crawford, Harrower.

Cautions: Hill, Money (Scunthorpe).

Referee: Malcolm Heath (Stoke).