SCUNTHORPE COMEBACK STUNS WANDERERS

Scunthorpe United 3 Dorking Wanderers 2 Vanarama National League Premier September 24th 2022 Dorking came away from North Lincolnshire despondent and empty handed after Scunthrope United overturned a two goal reverse to pick up their first win since the opening day of the season. A truly classic case of 'a game of two halves', Wanderers comfortably took a two goal lead into the interval after a clinical strike from Ryan Seager and Niall NcManus finished a superb counter-attacking move, but a revitalised Scunthrope came charging out the blocks after the restart and went on to score three goals through the course of the second half on an afternoon where Joe Nuttall also missed a penalty kick for the home side. Marc White made two changes to the team which started against Notts County last weekend; Bobby-Joe Taylor and Jack Jebb returning to the starting line up as Luke Moore missed out with a muscle strain and Isaac Philpot dropped to the bench. Ed Harris, Jimmy Muitt and new signing Seb Bowerman was not included in the matchday squad as they continue recovery from injury. After a scrappy opening few minutes Wanderers managed to take a quick command of possession and capitalise on space being left between the Scunthorpe defensive and midfield lines . This was a reversal of what happened last week against Notts County, where both teams were also set up in a 3-5-2 shape but Wanderers were the side finding themselves exposed in that area of the pitch early on. James McShane had an effort closed down and Wheeler cut in and forced a couple of nervy stops from keeper Marcus Dewhurst, ahead of Wanderers opening the scoring in the 11th minute. The Taylor's Josh and Bobby-Joe combined well on the left flank, the former waiting for the right moment to release the ball for his namesake to stride on to it and advance forward, before punching the ball into the feet of Seager who clinically steered the ball into the bottom right corner. Josh Taylor could have quickly doubled the advantage as he glanced Fuller's cross from the right wide of target, Wanderers still very much in control of play despite Reagan Ogle bombing forward from the full back area and striking wide and Jai Rowe bringing Lincoln into the action with a low save from the edge of the box. Just past the half-hour, Wanderers did manage to grab a second goal after a brilliantly orchestrated counter-attacking move; Seager doing well to keep hold of the ball around the centre spot, McShane and Josh Taylor then combining swiftly to send Seager racing up-field, he then passed on to McManus who was up with him, and the midfielder coolly slotted the ball home. Against a back drop of increasing audible unrest from the home fans, Wanderers carved out really good chances in the run up to half-time to further extend their lead; Wheeler delivering a succession of dangerous crosses including one Ottaway would head narrowly wide, before Josh Taylor found McShane in a surprising amount of space inside the penalty area, and after taking a touch forced Dewhurst into a save palming the ball round the post. Half-Time: Scunthrope 0 Dorking 2 Straight after the restart, the home side were set up in something closer to a 3-4-3 shape and immediately showed a greater urgency getting forward, particular success coming down the left flank as O'Malley's crosses were headed over by Alfie Beestin and Caolan Lavery, who came on midway through the first half for the injured Aiden Marsh to make his debut. The hosts got reward for their bright start shortly after, a brilliantly measured through ball from deep by the lively Rob Apter latched onto by Lavery who showed good composure to clip the ball beyond Lincoln into the top right corner. Sami El-Abd came on to replace Harry Ottaway as Wanderers went to a back four approaching the hour mark, but Scunthrope remained in the ascendancy and won a penalty shortly after the change. It was El-Abd who was in fact guilty of giving away the penalty, handling the ball from a corner ball delivery. Iron top scorer Joe Nutall stepped up, but kicked his spot kick against the outside of the post. Jacob Butterfield cut in from the right and brought Lincoln into action pouncing on the ball as it came through the six yard box, but the experienced midfielder would manage to go one better shortly after and level the scores; a daisy-cutter from 25 yards out managing to get past the line of bodies and nestle into the bottom right corner of goal. Butterfield was denied by a great Fuller sliding interception, before Nutall went mighty close with a header from another O'Malley delivery, nodding the ball just over the crossbar. Into the final fifteen minutes Wanderers managed to reduce the Scunthorpe pressure and get back on the ball, but were only able to produce half-chances in the final third as McManus fired wide despite demonstrating great agility to keep the ball and stay on his feet in the box, Egan and Seager also hammering shots over the bar. With several minutes left on the clock, Scunthorope managed to get ahead in the contest. A corner ball from the right was recycled by Lavery on the opposite side of the area, and the forward clipped in a measured cross which George Taft still up from the back deftly headed into the top corner of goal. The Iron were reduced to ten men in the final few minutes as final second half substitute Liam Feeney had to hobble off the field with a knock, and despite Wanderers peppering the opposition box with a series of long balls they were unable to salvage an equaliser. Following back-to-back wins and having led comfortably at half-time the defeat naturally serves as a very disappointing one for Wanderers, Scunthorpe by contrast are now unbeaten in their last three after a run of six defeats since the opening day of the campaign. Wanderers will return to league action next Saturday back at Meadowbank as Dagenham & Redbridge are the visitors. Dan Stobbart Scunthorpe United (3-5-2): 1 Marcus Dewhurst, 6 Andrew Boyce (c), 15 George Taft, 2 Regan Ogle; 12 Jai Rowe (4 Elliott Whitehouse 81'), 8 Alfie Beestin (7 Liam Feeney 81'), 19 Jacob Butterfield, 25 Rob Apter, 3 Mason O'Malley; 29 Aiden Marsh (13 Caolan Lavery 24'), 9 Joe Nuttall

Unused Subs: 14 Ethan Young, 16 Owen Foster Goals: Lavery 51', Butterfield 69', Taft 84' Yellow Card: O'Malley 29' Dorking Wanderers (3-5-2): 1 Dan Lincoln, 22 Barry Fuller (c), 20 Dan Gallagher, 3 Bobby-Joe Taylor (2 Isaac Philpot 60'); 6 Niall McManus, 23 Jack Jebb, 17 Josh Taylor, 11 James McShane, 16 Nicky Wheeler (29 Alfie Egan 60'); 9 Ryan Seager, 24 Harry Ottaway (4 Sami El-Abd 59') Unused Subs: 12 Callum Kennedy, 15 Adam Mekki Goals: Seager 11', McManus 33' Yellow Cards: El-Abd 56', Jebb 87' Referee: Steven Copeland Att: 2526