Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Blackburn Rovers 0 Scunthorpe United 1

Neal Bishop showed his mettle to nab his first Iron goal as Rovers rotten run in the cup continued.

Midfielder Bishop proved himself a steal after a free summer switch from Blackpool and scored the 34th minute winner in his second game.

Former Coventry winger Gary McSheffrey's corner was met by Bishop who outjumped the static Championship defence to bury a near post header.

It is the third successive season Rovers have been embarrassed by League One opposition following defeats by MK Dons and then Carlisle last term.

But Scunthorpe fully deserved the lead and nearly added a second five minutes later.

Another McSheffrey corner caused panic in the box and midfielder Chris Taylor put the ball narrowly over his own bar from a tight angle.

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer must have regretted resting TEN of the players who started in the season's opener last Friday.

After only one minute David Dunn fluffed his lines from six yards and fired wide after being teed up by co-striker Josh King.

And on the half hour debutant youth product Jack O'Connell was lucky not to give away a penalty when he appeared to drag down Bishop.

Ben Marshall had come closest to scoring for Rovers in the 51st minute, but keeper Sam Slocombe did brilliantly to palm the ball behind after the winger's left wing curling free kick evaded everyone else in the box. 

Striker Rudy Gestede managed to find the net in the 77th minute, but winger Luke Varney was ruled to have fouled Slocombe.  

And with four minutes to go Varney blew a great chance to keep the game alive when he sent a diving header straight into Slocombe's arms from ten yards.

Seething Bowyer watched his team lose for the first time since March said:

"From my point of view that was unacceptable. In my time here that's the worst we've been in that first 45 minutes, but credit to Scunthorpe.

"It wasn't good enough and I won't hide from that. We had strong words at half time.

As a manager you get players knocking on your door and asking for an opportunity. Well some took it tonight and some didn't. It highlights the need to bring more bodies in."

Scunthorpe manager Russ Wilcox gushed:

"In the last twenty minutes they were throwing everything into the box and we defended brilliantly. I was delighted with that final period of the game.

"Blackburn had quality players out there with real Championship experience, but we've got real quality players in our group.

"When we got the ball we frustrated Blackburn and that's the best form of defence."


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