Scunthorpe United - Myran Szostak - The Football League

Myran Szostak
Aged 14
Scunthorpe United 2 v 4 Blackpool F.C
Friday 2 April - 3:00pm
A crazy 10 minutes cost the Iron the points, as the Seasiders keep their play-off hopes
alive by registering at 4-2 victory at Glanford Park.
Scunthorpe came into this Good Friday match with a lot of momentum after winning their
last three matches. However, the Iron were not the only team in good form, Blackpool had
won their last two games, with a 2-0 win away at struggling Plymouth and an emphatic 5-1
home win against promotionhopefuls Swansea.
Around 7,500 fans witnessed Scunthorpe start the game brightly, but Blackpool managed
to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute. It was a bizarre own goal from Iron right-back
Andrew Wright. Wright was under-pressure from the Blackpool attackers and he
unfortunately volleyed a cross into the left corner, past goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
Blackpool then pushed for a second with Murphy doing well to keep out shots from Ben
Burgess and Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
There were no changes at half-time for either team, but whatever Nigel Adkins said, it
worked. Big Blackpool defender Ian Evatt took the legs of Grant McCann inside the penalty
area.
McCann then stepped up confidently and slotted the ball high in the net leaving the
Tangerines keeper with no chance.
Then Adkins made a change, bringing the young Manchester City loanee, Donal McDermott
on for Martyn Woolford. There were then opportunities at both ends, it was a nervy time for
Iron fans as the Seasiders' captain Charlie Adam whipped in a few crosses that should have
really been finished.
However, on the hour mark, Scunthorpe should have had a second penalty with the ball
looking like it hit a Blackpool defender on the hand, but the referee waved play on.
With the scores locked at 1-1, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway made alterations: Hameur
Bouazza on for Stephen Dobbie and David Vaughan on for the impressive Billy Clarke.
Blackpool started to then get the better in the match as it began to rain and on the 75 minute
mark ex-Lincoln striker Taylor-Fletcher had a great chance, but was denied by the legs of Joe
Murphy.

However the pressure from the Seasiders finally paid off thanks to poor defending from the
Iron. Everton loanee Seamus Coleman cut in from the right and skipped past at least two
challenges to get in on goal and fire it over the head of Murphy from only a few yards.
This sent the 1,323 travelling fans into raptures and they even set off an orange flare which
was quickly marshalled by the stewards.
Iron fans then were given a glimmer of hope when top goalscorer Gary Hooper came on
for Sparrow.
The momentum was certainly with the team in orange and only five minutes after making it
2-1 they added another - with DJ Campbell heading home a cross from Hameur Bouazza,
which made all Iron fans and players heads go down.
It really started to rain and Blackpool soon made it 4-1 after the Tangerines skipper Charlie
Adam bursted through on goal but the shot was parried into the path of DJ Campbell, who
looked to be offside, to tap it in.
The Iron were furious with the linesman. Scunthorpe still carried on and were rewarded with
a consolation goal from Gary Hooper in the 86th minute to make it 4-2 with most of the Iron
fans left already.
Blackpool managed to see the game out and gain all three points, much to Ian Holloway's
and the travelling fans' delight.
The Iron were still five points clear of the relegation zone and remained on par to finish
above the bottom three. Hopefully, we will still be playing Championship football next year!
Up The Iron!