Scunthorpe United 0-2 Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town made it three wins out of three in League One with a deserved 2-0 victory at Scunthorpe United.Jamie Proctor continued his impressive form in front of goal to score the opener midway through the second half before Gareth Evans sealed the points, heading home a Steven Schumacher free-kick ten minutes from time.
The win sees Fleetwood maintain their 100% start to life in the third tier of English football and have not conceded in open play in a competitive game since April.
Manager Graham Alexander made one enforced change for the trip to Glanford Park with Guinness World Record holder Nathan Pond missing out through injury, Liam Hogan stepping in.
Meanwhile, hosts Scunthorpe United, made six changes from their 4-0 defeat against Preston North End last weekend. However, new recruit Billy Kee from Burton Albion, was named on the substitutes bench.
Donning their new yellow and navy blue away strip for the first time in the league, the game started at a very steady pace at a quiet Glanford Park.
After 20 minutes, the hosts managed to have the first opportunity on goal. After Fleetwood initially cleared a corner, Scunthorpe favourite Terry Hawkridge delivered a cross from the right wing, headed over the bar by Miles Addison.
Four minutes later, Fleetwood could and should have taken the lead in North Lincolnshire. A lovely free flowing move, started by Antoni Sarcevic, resulted in former Blackpool man Stephen Crainey whipping a delightful cross straight into the path of David Ball.
With time of the essence, Ball was unmarked and six yards out from goal, but his header was tame and straight into the arms of Bobby Olejnik, a big let off for the Iron!
Space was soon becoming apparent for both teams in the final third of the pitch. On the half hour mark, Irish striker Paddy Madden picked up on a loose ball on the edge of the Cod Army ‘D’ but his low effort was collected by Chris Maxwell.
Sixty seconds later, Conor McLaughlin, who has been nominated for two prizes at the North West Football Awards, saw a long range effort deflect off Niall Canavan but result in no concern for Olejnik.
Skipper Schumacher was the next man to step up and try his luck from range, hammering a 25-yard effort which was beaten away to safety.
Opportunities followed for Ball in the yellow and blue and Madden in the claret and blue but the teams went into the break with the score 0-0.
The Cod Army started the second half with a flurry of corners which ended in Crainey blasting high and wide from the edge of the penalty box over the bar.
On the counter attack, Fleetwood pressed forward in the 53rd minute, Josh Morris flying through the middle of the Scunthorpe midfield.
Cleverly, Town’s number 12 flicked the ball to his left for Proctor, the striker pulling inside to see a curling shot deflect off target.
At the other end, powerful centre back Addison, who had an effort saved in the first half, glanced a header just wide from Hawkridge’s inswinging free-kick.
The hosts began to take control of the ball as they looked for their first three points of the campaign, but the Lancashire side stayed firm at the back, making it difficult for the Iron to find a way through.
Against the run of play, Fleetwood Town found that all elusive first goal and yes you guessed it, Proctor was the man to find the net.
Strike partner Ball had a huge part to play in the goal, working wonders down the right to chip a magnificent pass to the back post for Proctor to slide home.
Three minutes later, Scunthorpe nearly retaliated in perfect fashion, with a goal mouth scramble occurring just in front of Maxwell’s goal, but the Fleetwood defence threw their bodies on the line to prevent conceding their first goal in open play this season.
With ten minutes to play, Fleetwood rounded off another superb away performance and sealed their first ever win at Scunthorpe with a second goal.
Winning a free-kick on the left hand side, skipper Schumacher whipped the ball to the far post for Evans to score his first of the season, a goal he deserves after a great start to the campaign.
Fleetwood held on to their two goal advantage and go into Saturday’s game against Chesterfield with their 100% record still intact.
Tickets are on sale for this weekend’s game now, with the ticket office back open from 9am tomorrow morning. To reserve your seat please call 01253 775080 now.