Scunthorpe 2 Exeter City 0.

Saturday 3 April 1999.

Referee: PR Richards

Attendance  3419


Logan's run gives United the points

by JOHN CURTIS at Glanford Park

SCUNTHORPE United looked to get their promotion challenge back on track when they entertained Exeter City at a sun-drenched Glanford Park this afternoon. After Tuesday night's 5-0 drubbing at Plymouth, it was a match that the Iron really had to win if they still wanted to finish in the top three automatic promotion places. Manager Brian Laws was forced into making one change with midfielder Justin Walker starting a three match suspension after being sent off against Leyton Orient two weeks ago. Lee Marshall got the nod as his replacement on the right hand side with Paul Harsley moving infield. Russ Wilcox returned to join Darryn Stamp and Gary Bull on the substitute's bench. United were led out by skipper Chris Hope, who broke a club appearance record by playing in his 144th successive league game. Exeter were without key defender Chris Curran through suspension, but skipper Jon Richardson returned from injury to replace him. Promising midfielder Chris Holloway was also brought back after being on duty for Wales under 21s in Switzerland in mid-week. United kicked off towards the railway end with Jamie Forrester making a great 25-yard run past two defenders in the second minute but Andy Dawson's cross drifted behind. Dawson won the first corner a minute later which John Eyre swung over, Alex Calvo-Garcia jumped highest to meet it but his header was cleared off the line by Shaun Gale. On four minutes a through ball by Geoff Breslan gave top scorer Steve Blake a run at goal and his left foot shot bobbled two yards wide. Evans' first save came from his opposite number Ashley Bayes with a long kick which the Scunthorpe keeper collected easily three yards out. Richardson then got forward down the right for Evarer with his low cross finding Breslan but Hope was quickly on hand to make the block. Tosh then had a shot blocked by Richard Logan as the visitors continued their bright start. They should have taken the lead on 13 minutes when a low free kick in from Jason Rees found Flack unmarked at the back post but he made a mess of his header, got tangled up, and only succeeded in running the ball into the side netting. This stung the Iron into action with Calvo- Garcia releasing Eyre on the right with a great pass but his cross was well cleared by Jon Gittins. A through ball from Witter then put John Gayle clear through; his well hit shot was blocked out by Bayes with Forrester lashing the follow-up well over. Forrester did better with two right wing crosses the first well cleared by Gittins. The second saw Eyre fire just wide under pressure from Richardson, Eyre needed to go off for treatment before he was able to continue. A free kick from wide on the left by Eyre was whipped in and Bayes did well to punch clear under pressure from Gayle and Logan. Dawson returned the ball deep for Gayle to head on and Chris Hope's close range header was held under his own bar by Bayes at full stretch. The visitors had the ball in the net on 25 min- utes through Flack but only after Paul Tosh had been flagged offside when he knocked the ball across to him. A long ball then found its way through to Flack and he cushioned it back to Tosh who stabbed his shot well over from just inside the area. United should have taken the lead on 31 minutes after a flick from Eyre put Forrester clean through. The Iron's 20-goal leading marksman burst into the box but his shot was well blocked by Bayes. Forrester regained possession and crossed for Gayle to chest it down and give himself a sitter, but he only lashed balls straight at Bayes and the golden chance was gone. The hot weather began to affect tempers on the leverer bench with a challenge from Eyre on Rees but referee Phil Richards decided that there was no foul. Mr Richards then had to have a word with Gayle for jumping in an illegal manner as he tried to win a header in the opposition area. Two minutes later Gayle was judged to have caught Gittens with a stray arm in an aerial challenge and the referee this time showed him the yellow card which means another suspension for the big man. The home crowd were getting more unhappy with the Preston official as the game entered three minutes of first half stoppage time. No further chances were forthcoming and the Iron went into the break needing to do better in front of goal if they were to take the three points they badly needed.

HALF TIME: UNITED 0 EXETER 0

The second half started as the first had ended with Lee Baddeley needing treatment to a cut on his head after another clash with Gayle. A poor defensive header by Witter then put his side in trouble but Flack's cross was cleared by a combination of Marshall and Logan. A quick break forward by United saw Eyre put Calvo-Garcia away down the left as he fired in two efforts which were well blocked first by Richardson and then by Bayes. Calvo Garcia then teed up Harsley for a shot 25 yards out but a defender took the pace of the ball and Bayes collected easily. United continued to press with a Dawson free kick whipped in from the right that Gayle glanced inches wide of the far post. The Iron eventually broke the deadlock on 57th minute with a stunning strike from BYRE. Forrester played the ball across the box to him on the right and he looked up and lashed a shot straight into the top corner for his 15th goal of the season. It rattled Eater who then had Holloway booked for a foul on Calvo-Garcia and assistant manager Noel Blake given a lengthy lecture on the touchline along with Iron boss Laws. United looked to have added a second on 67 minutes when Forrester cracked a shot past Bayes but referee Richards had apparently spotted a foul by the Scunthorpe player on Richardson. The visitors tried to get back into the game with a long throw from Holloway flicked on by Flack but Calvo-Garcia cleared. Eyre had a chance for another spectacular goal when he collected a deep cross from Dawson but he didn't get hold of this effort and Bayes saved easily. A quick throw from Eyre released Forrester on the right and his excellent first time cross was too good for his team-mates who were caught on their heels. United got a second on 77 minutes from an Eyre corner on the right. The ball flew over Gayle's head for central defender LOGAN to run through and force the ball home at the sec- ond attempt. Every replied with a cross from Holloway that Tosh headed down and over but the flag was already up for offside. And with United easily holding out for victory manager Brian Laws could even afford to take off Forrester and replace him with Gary Bull.

MATCH FACTS

SCUNTHORPE 2
Evans, Witter, Dawson, Logan, Harsley, Hope, Marshall, Forrester, Eyre, Gayle, Calvo-Garcia
Subs:- Wilcox, Stamp,  Bull

Manager: Brian Laws

EXETER 0

Bayes, Breslan, Gale, Baddeley, Richardson, Gittens, Tosh, Rees, Flack, Holloway, Gardner
Subs: Blake, Wilkinson, McConnell. 

Manager: Peter Fox