Winless Running

Scunthorpe United 3-3 Solihull Moors (National League)

Another Saturday game and another trip to Scunthorpe United, as I head over to North Lincolnshire to see the Iron take on Solihull Moors, a team that I've not yet seen play this season.

The Moors are solid in mid table but aren't in a great run of form right now, just one win in seven and that coming at lowly Morecambe a few weeks back.

They did start the year in great form after a 4-1 win over Sutton before Christmas, they beat Tamworth 7-1 on Boxing Day and Aldershot 5-1 in January, they do have goals in their attack.

Keeping clean sheets has been their issue, although they did get one against Braintree in a scoreless draw, in their last match at home to Hartlepool they spurned a two goal lead and lost 4-3 at Damson Park.

Scunny have also slipped into some disappointing form of late, they haven't won in five and have conceded 16 goals in those games, defeats against Carlisle, Aldershot, York and a 6-3 thumping at home to Boston included in a poor run for what seems like a tiring side following promotion last season.

It's midday and the wife is hoovering, just about to start washing the floors so I'm making my exit now, across the A46 to Lincoln and up the A15 where I stop off for a coffee at the newly built Showground services, the weather is good, the skies are blue, I arrive at Glanford Park for 1:30pm, parking inside the official club car park, I don't think it's a busy one today with spaces a plenty as Solihull don't tend to have that much travelling support.

The Venue

I'm not on the list again. I asked for extra assurance this week which they gave me, but my name's not down. Luckily the old boy on the gate knows me by now. "You need to sack your secretary" he says, before letting me through without issue.

Inside I'm met by the sole Solihull matchday commentator, he's a chatty fella who's got his phone out to show me some recent pics of his holiday to Georgia. He even has an Easy Jet pen given to him for being on the first ever flight between Luton and Tbilisi.

There's a few regular faces here including the Scunthorpe BBC radio team, Steve Torpey with his head set on sits a few seats down, he scored 76 goals for the club in 280 games between 2000 & 2007.

Half full, at best, the pitch is patchy down below, "I love these old grounds" says the young commentator besides me. "I remember when they built it" I reply.

The Game

Neither team has won a match in a few weeks and I'm looking to see where advantage might lie? Scunthorpe look off it to me. Less spring in their step than usual, pride hurt in recent games, they don't have as much of the ball, normally they are ever reliant on their right sided left footed talisman Cal Roberts, he's had nothing of the football so far, although unlike him, he's hardly asked for it, in truth.

Solihull look organised and game, well drilled under Chris Millington, I'm told they often switch defensively from a four to a three, today it's a three and big Alex Whitmore in the centre of it is kicking and heading everything away. The Moors are direct and young Stoke City loanee Darius Lipsiuc at left wing back looks game, he's on the end of a decent move getting forward in the opening fifteen minutes, he's into the box but scuffs his shot, fortuitously landing at the feet of Conor Wilkinson who takes a touch and smashes home left footed. It's a lead the away side deserve.

Wilkinson is a good player who leads the line with a bit of class, he's had more clubs than Nick Faldo but looks to be at home wearing Solihull's number ten, working hard and linking team-mates, a few minutes ahead of the break he's in space in midfield and is allowed to carry the ball forward, two touches and he's away from the defenders, before curling home another lefty, from outside the box, it's a fabulous finish.

Wilkinson dives onto the floor to celebrate as the home fans boo before heading off for some pies, not quite turning on their team, but you get the feeling they are far from happy with their teams recent efforts.

The Score

At half time I look to my left with eyebrows raised as I say to the Solihull commentator that there's only one team in it. He's more concerned than I am about a comeback, having witnessed last week, my thoughts are 'surely they can't throw it away again'.

But as the second half starts Scunthorpe are resurgent, pressing from the off they look a different team, breading hope into their support which becomes ever louder, shots are blocked, corners are won, one is swung in from the right by Roberts who by now has improved, Boyce gets up to head down and Whitehall on the line prods home.

Suddenly there's real belief, more pressure leads to an off ball incident inside the box. "Off, Off, Off" is the cry. I go full Chris Kamara, "I didn't see it" but as the lady Referee consults her lines man, it looks like the inevitable for a Solihull defender, Tyler French red carded for an apparent elbow.

Tactical switches are made as the visitors are asked now to dig in, it's all about defending, and seeing if they can fend off this Iron attack, and they do well, against relaxed forward play who are dominant opposition, Scunthorpe patiently keep the ball and keep probing for opportunity.

There's just ten minutes left when a chance presents itself, Roberts by now has been taking on his full back at every opportunity on the right, he beats him on the outside, gets a low cross in, and Whitehall is first to it, a brilliant strikers goal, Alex Whitmore his marker, punching the ground as the ball nestles into the netting.

From there you feel there's only one winner, and just five minutes later Whitehall is on the end of another Roberts cross, this time to volley home from inside the area, job complete, the comeback kings, but I feel there might be another twist yet.

As the board goes up for extras, Moors make one last forage, Lipsiuc again getting forward, he's been tireless, he races into the box and shoots a powerful effort towards goal, tipped over by Jones, but the resulting corner is played into a packed area by Joe Sbarra, Tipton wins the first ball, Isaac Moore the second, he's been brilliant today, and deservedly snatches a late leveller by hooking through a crowd before running to the corner and celebrating with the few travelling fans.

The Stars

It was a deserved point for Solihull who were good value in the first half, they dug in during the second when it was backs against the walls and never gave up, even when the game looked lost, 19 year old Isaac Moore was brilliant in midfield until asked to do a job defensively when Tyler French was sent off, tall and good in possession, he also reads the game very well and looked equally as comfortable at the back, a player on loan from Coventry City also knows how to nick a goal.

Along with Moore, credit the tiresome efforts of Darius Lipsiuc down the left, he at one point won two huge tackles on half way, the sort you can hear thud and crunch as the crowd squinch "ooh's and aah's" before looking away with grimace.

Lipsiuc is another youngster just twenty, he has a good goals return since signing from Stoke on loan, but it's the energy and work rate he puts in which hasn't gone unnoticed by those watching.

Whilst Conor Wilkinson got his goals, he was a nuisance to deal with especially when Moors had eleven on the park, another creating was Jacob Wakeling who has lovely feet, Ben Worman also doing neat things from midfield.

Whilst Scunthorpe United may be indebted to their hat-trick hero, Danny Whitehall is a proper striker, the non league Harry Kane, he has all sorts of goals to his game, from rocket shots from outside the box to headers and volleys and one yard tap ins, Cal Roberts had a hand in all three goals, without them both, I'm not sure where Scunthorpe would be?

Two debutants for the Iron today, both subbed early, Zain Tahir on loan from Sheffield United is a left back, who didn't pull up stumps, whilst Leo Farrell on loan from Barnsley, he looked a big thick set lad with decent strength and ability, he had been earning rave reviews on loan whilst at Guiseley and I can see why, the home fans taking an instant shine to his efforts, he could play a big part in the remainder of the season as Scunthorpe look to consolidate a playoff place.

The Verdict

Perhaps predictable, two teams who can't buy a win at the moment, would end up drawing against each other, but both should take positives, Solihull with a credible comeback having ten men for almost one full half of the match, whilst Scunthorpe from two down, will take pride in how they fought back, not, in how they relinquished their late lead.

Both sides with a lot of attacking quality, I'm sure a win for either, won't be far away.

The Teams

Scunthorpe United: Louis Jones, Ross Barrows, Andrew Boyce, Branden Horton, Zain Tahir (Alfie Beestin 74), Zain Westbrooke, Joe Rowley (Aidan Dausch 65), Oli Ewing, Danny Whitehall (Carlton Ubaezuono 90), Callum Roberts (Joe Starbuck 90), Leo Farrell (Connor Smith 74).

Solihull Moors: Laurie Walker, Tyler French, Alex Whitmore, Lewis Baines, Emmanuel Sonupe (Oscar Rutherford 70), Scott High (Joe Sbarra 86), Isaac Moore, Darius Lipsiuc, Conor Wilkinson (Ollie Tipton 70), Ben Worman (Cameron Green 76), Jacob Wakeling (Bradley Stevenson 86).

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 28th February 2026, Glanford Park, Scunthorpe (att 4,230).