Scott Bartlett’s Eastleigh side earned a 1-1 draw against Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night at the Silverlake Stadium.
Following a cagey 0-0 first half, goals would come in the second half. Scunthorpe took the lead early on in the second half, with a penalty from Danny Whitehall sending Nick Townsend the wrong way, giving the away side the lead. 25 minutes later, the Spitfires levelled after a well worked goal, with Luke Skinner’s pass into the penalty area met by the back heel of Ciaran McGuckin, bringing the sides level, which would be enough for a 1-1 draw.
Following the loss to Boreham Wood, Scott Bartlett made four changes ahead of the tie against Scunthorpe. Richard Brindley returned to the side following injury keeping him sidelined, whilst Josh Lundstram, Angel Wariuh and Archie Harris also came into the starting XI following their sub appearances last Saturday. Jake Vokins dropped to the bench, along with Sonnie Davis, Kieron Evans and Lloyd Humphries.
Scunthorpe had the first chance of the game inside one minute, as the ball bounced to the feet of Scunthorpe defender Andrew Boyce from 25 yards out. The defender connected well with the ball but his half volley went just over the bar.
Just three minutes later, Scunthorpe were through on goal, with Carlton Ubaezuono being played through one on one with goalkeeper Nick Townsend, who got down low and kept out the Scunthorpe attackers left footed shot.
Eastleigh had their first real chance of the game just after ten minutes, with Josh Lundstram receiving the ball down the right hand side, where he delivered a ball across the face of the Scunthorpe goal, but Harvey Saunders couldn’t quite get onto the end of the ball despite his outstretched leg.
Scunthorpe went up the other end immediately, with a scramble in the penalty area finally landing at Joe Rowley’s feet, but his left footed effort blazed straight over the bar.
The Spitfires continued to push for an opener, but their efforts had no luck with Angel Waruih unable to direct his header goal wards in the 35th minute.
Scunthorpe had a big chance through Callum Roberts, who was open on the right hand side and drove into the Eastleigh penalty area, before his right footed effort effort produced a strong save from Townsend.
The last chance of the first half went to Scunthorpe, with Roberts again picking up the ball for the away side, he was able to receive with his back to goal inside the penalty area, where he swivelled onto his left foot before his effort was sent outside of the stadium.
The second half didn’t get any better for the Spitfires, with Whitehall immediately finding himself through on goal after a ball through from Roberts, but Whitehall’s effort isn’t enough to trouble Townsend.
Just five minutes into the second half, Scunthorpe were awarded a penalty, after a scramble from a corner saw Jean Belehouan be pushed into the net, and the referee deemed there to be enough in order to point to the spot, booking Luis Fernandes in the process.
Danny Whitehall stepped up to take the penalty, and slotted into the bottom right, sending Townsend the wrong way, giving Scunthorpe the lead.
Rowley would then get another big chance six minutes later, with his shot from the left hand side a strong one, but Townsend parried the shot out for the corner. The resulting corner ended up causing trouble in the Eastleigh penalty area, with no one clearing the ball before it struck the frame of the goal.
Eastleigh would get their first chance in the 62nd minute, with some well worked play from Archie Harris down the left hand side resulting in the ball falling to Jake Taylor who slipped through Ciaran McGuckin on the left hand side, with his shot from a tight angle pushed out for a corner.
Just a minute later, Alfie Beestin is played by Ubaezuonu through on goal, but Beestin’s effort is poor, and Townsend got down low to produce a big save.
Eastleigh applied pressure throughout the second half, and in the 76th minute they would get their reward. Luke Skinner off the bench would cut inside from the right hand side, with his low driven left footed shot fired just wide of the Scunthorpe goal.
A minute later, Scott Bartlett’s side got their goal, after a long ball from Jake Taylor resulted in the second ball landing to the feet of Kieron Evans, who dribbled through before faking the shot twice, and eventually laying Skinner off on the right hand side, who played a left footed ball first time into the penalty area. McGuckin would be on the end of the pass inside the six yard box, who produced a sublime back heel flick towards goal, beating Rory Watson in goal.
The final 13 minutes were cagey, with neither side producing a big chance, ending the game in a 1-1 draw.
Eastleigh:Townsend (GK), Townsend, Brindley, Fernandez (Humphries 59′), Eweka, Harris , Cousins (Evans 69′), Taylor, Lundstram, Waruih (Skinner 69′), McGuckin, Saunders
Unused Substitutes: Mcnamara, Vokins, Davis, Stone
Goals: McGuckin 76′
Yellow Cards: Fernandez 50′, Skinner 74′, Humphries 92′
Scunthorpe: Watson (GK), Horton, Belehouan (Rose 78′), Boyce, Beestin, Whitehall, Roberts, Rowley, Ubaezuono (Howe 72′), Ewing (Scales 78′), Starbuck
Unused Substitutes: , Brogan, Scales, Dawson, Chadwick, Westbrooke
Goals: Whitehall 50′
Yellow Cards: Belehouan 61′, Starbuck 86′, Scales 92′
Attendance: 1,980 (101 away)
