Venue: Huish Park
Sat 20th December 2003, 3pm kick-off.

Conditions: Wet, windy and chilly
Ground: Good condition

Scorers: Peter Beagrie (39, 0-1), Kirk Jackson (71, 1-1), Andy Lindegaard (82, 2-1)

Attendance: 5,714 – including approx 200 Scunthorpe supporters

Referee: Mark Cooper (West Midlands)
Assistant Refs: Steve Habgood (Wiltshire) and Andy Sainsbury (Wiltshire)

Bookings:
Yeovil: Pluck (65, unsporting behaviour)
Scunthorpe: Jackson (43, unsporting behaviour), Stanton (79, unsporting behaviour), Sharp (84, unsporting behaviour)


Line Ups

Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)
1. Chris Weale
16. Andy Lindegaard 4. Terry Skiverton 12. Hugo Rodrigues 5. Colin Pluck
22. Lee Elam 23. Jamie Gosling 24. Paul Terry 10. Nick Crittenden
17. Jake Edwards 9. Kevin Gall

Subs:
7. Adam Stansfield (58, for Edwards) 13. Steven Collis 15. Steven Reed (58, for Gosling) 18. Kirk Jackson (69, for Pluck) 19. Chris Giles

Scunthorpe United:
1. Tom Evans 2. Nathan Stanton 6. Cliff Byrne 18. Andy Butler 3. Kevin Sharp 7. Matthew Sparrow 16. Terry Barwick 19. Richard Kell 14. Peter Beagrie 9. Paul Hayes 22. Steven MacLean

Subs:
20. Lee Featherstone (45, for Beagrie) 26. Jon Hunt (73, for Hayes) 12. Lee Ridley 5. Mark Jackson (20, for Bryne) 21. Adam Capp


Jeremy Gear’s View Of The Game

Yeovil started today’s game with a line up that made best use of their squad. Missing from last week’s starting eleven was Adam Lockwood and Gavin Williams, presumably as they were on four bookings; Lee Johnson, out due to suspension after picking up his fifth caution, and midfield dynamo Darren Way, still absent with a stress fracture. All this meant that a reshuffle worthy of a Tony Blair cabinet was implemented, Gosling for Johnson, Elam for Williams, Lindegaard for Lockwood, and Jake Edwards started in the place of Kirk Jackson.

So those, including me, who thought it wrong that players on four cards should be “rested” if that were the case, presumably to make them eligible for that forthcoming cup game, should eat humble pie. Whilst you should always start with your strongest side, Gary Johnson will no doubt tell us that all his squad is worthy of a first team place, and the way they finished the game to come back from a one-goal deficit, who could disagree. If Johnson had a problem at the half time break with his team talk, he’ll have a bigger problem tonight. Andy Lindegaard’s performance was simply outstanding, he made the equaliser, scored the winner and his overall contribution throughout the ninety minutes was one that said, “ You played me, now I dare you to drop me”. What a decision, the manager doesn’t struggle in that department, but he’s got his work cut out on this one!

The wind was always going to cause a problem today, the Glovers started the game with it behind them and the first real shot on target came from a Weale clearance. Gall then crossed from the right but Jake Edwards header went over. Edwards then held the ball up well on the edge of the box, fed Gall who fired powerfully but off target. Paul Terry, who will also be difficult to drop when Way’s fit, intercepted a clearance on his half way line, slid the ball to Elam who cut inside to get it on his favoured right foot, shot, but the keeper saved well. The ball rebounded to Gall who fired it back into the box before it found Terry, a yard out, but he couldn’t keep the ball down and it ballooned over the bar.

Yeovil, lacking the final ball that Williams and Johnson often provide, still played some neat intricate passing football, none better than when Elam, Pluck and Terry contrived to get them out of a tight spot with a mixture of head tennis and a game of triangles often practised on the training ground no doubt.

On the half hour mark, Skiverton blazed over following a corner, and at the other end Sparrow did the same after the ball broke loose after a terrific tackle on the edge of the area by the captain. Then disaster for the home side, with 7 minutes of the half remaining Colin Pluck made contact with Scunthorpe’s Richard Kell, and to say he fell down like a bag of cak would be an understatement. The ref, Mr Cooper, pointed to the spot, and although Chris Weale did his best to unsettle Peter BEAGRIE, the former Everton left winger made no mistake with a well taken penalty. Unfortunately his trademark somersault was missing!

Half-time: Yeovil Town 0 – 1 Scunthorpe United

As the second half got underway, it took some time for Yeovil to get going. Ring the changes, on came Adam Stansfield and Steve Reed, who replaced Edwards and Gosling respectively. The home side reverted to 3 at the back, with Reed and Lindegaard playing the wing back roles. A sign of things to come maybe, as Terry picked up the ball wide out on the right, he forced his way toward goal, cut inside and from the edge just skewed his shot wide of the right upright. Lindegaard, recalled from a loan spell at Weymouth, was now firing on all four cylinders. His cross towards goal was cut out by a Scunthorpe hand, the free kick replicated a training ground routine once again didn’t materialise. A shot on goal looked to be favourite as the Iron’s wall was non descript leaving a gaping hole in the postage stamp corner.

Colin Pluck, with a rush of blood to the head, took out a Scunny opponent and went straight into the book with a yellow, not long after he was replaced by Jackson. A sensible decision by the manager, frustration could well have crept into his game and when that red mist comes down…say no more!

Yeovil by now had taken the game by the scruff of the neck. Scunthorpe, reduced to time wasting tactics – and who could blame them – frustrated the home crowd, as did the referee who failed to get to grips with their misdemeanours.

Nick Crittenden, confidence high after last weeks winner tried his luck from distance a couple of times, but on these occasions couldn’t find the target. Then on 72 minutes the equaliser came, Lindegaard, who else, worked hard down the right, got to the byline and whipped a fantastic cross to the far post, where Kirk JACKSON rose to head home against his former club. Ironic that he should score after coming on as sub, something that Edwards has done a couple of times before.

Two minutes later Skiverton headed into the hands of Evans, and then a long ball from the back was chased down hard by Stansfield, Gall like, he found Lindegaard who crossed to exactly the same spot as before, but this time Jackson headed wide. Scunthorpe, who had miraculously found the art of staying on their feet, almost scored when Jonathan Hunt stabbed the ball wide when it would have been easier to hit the target. Lindegaard put Stansfield through once more but the keeper smothered well, but a minute later the winner came. Lee Elam down the left, who showed some neat footwork all afternoon without providing the lethal ball, finally came good. His low cross into the Scunthorpe area was met by Andy LINDEGAARD who lashed the ball home with his left foot to secure all three points, and third spot in division 3 for Yeovil. His afternoon was capped off with the vice presidents man of the match award, which was widely applauded by the 5714 crowd.

As the game drew to an end, a rasping drive from Stansfield stung the hands of Evans, before an overhead kick from Scunthorpe thankfully found Weale in the right place. The whistle blew and Gary Johnson once again pulled off a masterstroke with his team selection. What’s more important, playing your best team in the league, or saving them for the cup? With this bunch of players at his disposal, with maybe the odd exception, selecting his team for the next three games is going to be a decision that only he can make, believe me…..he’ll make it!

Jeremy Gear

Full-time: Yeovil Town 2 – 1 Scunthorpe United


Tim Lancaster’s View Of The Game

The Iron’ felt the fist of ‘The Glovers’ as Yeovil Town terminated Scunthorpe United’s impressive unbeaten run in a match that ran to a strange pattern at a stormy Huish Park.

Scunthorpe appeared more than capable of holding their early one goal lead, reminding many of the effective performances put in by the likes of Northampton Town and Torquay United. However a scintilating display by the home side – albeit for the last fifteen minutes of the contest – ensured Gary Johnson’s side won the day, and gained a result that eclipsed the victory at Bristol Rovers by virtue of having defeated a far better side than ‘The Gas’.

Scunthorpe and Yeovil Town hold many similarites, ‘The Iron’ moved to Glanford Park Stadium as Yeovil Town moved into Huish Park, and in the early years United’s ground was similar in appearance although Scunthorpe chose to fill the corners in and erect a roof on moving home. The well publicised links with Ian Botham and Paul Wilson made interesting reading in the match programme.

United were pioneers of the cantilever stand, seeing fit to place the first of such a structure at their former ground ‘The Old Showground’, but today their supporters endured what is fast becoming one of the most inhospitable away ends in The Football League, the open terrace exposed to the biting wind that ravaged Huish Park.

Today all three goals were scored at the aforementioned end, Chris Weale guessing correctly for Peter Beagrie’s well struck penalty but losing out, a lead Scunthorpe took into the interval. The visitors were fresh from an FA Cup second round replay victory at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday but when substitute Kirk Jackson headed home the equaliser the 200 or so visiting supporters fell silent. ‘Jacko’ had a spell at Scunthorpe, therefore the goal could almost be described as inevitable. Andy Lindegaard won the game. The Yeovil boy was in the Terra Cotta strip af W******h in the week, but his goal ended the hopes of the visitors who saw fit to wear a similar kit to our seaside neighbours.

For a post Cup game the atmosphere was quite passionate, at least it was in The Westland Stand. Most people knew the players names and at least I did’nt witness folk leaving the ground after coming in, as at Bromsgrove Rovers and Bath City prior to ‘Arsenal’. After the match the players belted footballs into the stands, the Westland Stand surely acting as one of the biggest ever sets of goalposts a player may aim at, few noticed that Gally missed the area altogether with his kick, hitting the upper advertisment hoardings! Kevin saw the funny side and will no doubt hit the real target again very soon.

Star Player – Colin Pluck

Atmosphere – Started subdued but got much better.

Away Following – 150 -180, those who travelled did well considering the weather and the awkward journey.

Visiting Flag Shout – Surprisingly no flags, although if there were any they were more than likely blown away in the wild conditions.

Home Support – Got behind the team in the second-half bringing back memories of last season.

Tim Lancaster


MOTM Vote Result:

Player MOTM Score
Andy Lindegaard 62 956
Paul Terry 3 285
Colin Pluck 2 94
Kevin Gall 68
Lee Elam 56
Hugo Rodrigues 1 41

Overall match rating: 6.3 / 10
Performance: 5.9
Entertainment: 6.7

68 votes received.