Off Topic The Big Match Report - Bristol City V's Scunthorpe.

Scunthorpe United 0 Bristol City 2 MATCH REPORT. (From Up North)By Paul_Crute |

SCUNTHORPE United gave a good account of themselves against Bristol City despite playing more than half the match without a recognised goalkeeper.
Both Sam Slocombe and James Severn were both injured in the first half leaving Andrew Boyce to take over duties in goal.
However, Scunthorpe bossed large parts of the game in the second half but a Jay Emmanuel-Thomas penalty in the first half and a Luke Freeman effort five minutes from time gave City a 2-0 victory.
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Scunthorpe made four changes from the team that took on Chesterfield in the FA Cup with all three new signings making their home debuts.
Jordan Clarke, Jocob Murphy and Tom Hopper were all included in the side with Liam O’Neil also returning after being ineligible for the game at the Proact Stadium.
Making way for them were Alex Davey, Gary McSheffrey and Lyle Taylor who all dropped to the bench while Eddie Nolan failed to make the matchday squad.
Scunthorpe were quick out of the blocks and almost went ahead in the first minute as Paddy Madden found Neal Bishop with a good through ball.
The Scunthorpe captain beat the keeper to the ball but his effort didn’t have enough power on it and the shot was cleared off the line.
Bristol responded well and after Clarke was caught in possession Luke Freeman played in Jay Emmanuel-Thomas whose shot was blocked by Marcus Williams.
However, the Iron were dealt a huge blow when goalkeeper Slocombe had to go off with looked like a wrist injury after punching clear from a corner, and was replaced by Severn.
Scunthorpe still looked the enterprising of the teams and a lovely move saw O’Neil put across the ball across the face of goal which just evaded Hopper.
However, City always looked dangerous on the break, with Freeman a willing runner down the visitors left but they did not trouble Severn.
The home side were chasing down everything in sight and not letting their opponents assert themselves on the game.
O’Neil tried an audacious lob from inside his own half which Frank Fielding got back easily enough to collect before Murphy let fly from long range with Fielding gathering at the second attempt.
However, all the hard work was undone when Matt Smith went down rather easily in the area after a shove from Boyce.
Emmanuel-Thomas put his penalty right in the corner despite Severn guessing the right way to City 1-0 up.
The Iron were then dealt a major hammer blow as Smith caught Severn in the face when rushing to a through ball with the Iron substitute keeper having to leave on a stretcher.
It was left for Boyce to put on the keepers gloves with Niall Canavan taking Boyce’s place in the centre of defence.
Eight minutes of injury time followed but neither team could find an opening before the break.
Emmanuel-Thomas was the first to make the running after half time as five minutes in a mazy dribble saw him go past several United players too easily but he was denied by a great stop by Boyce.
Despite the problems Scunthorpe faced they more than matched their opponents and Glanford Park became a cauldron of noise as the fans roared on the team.
Clarke put a ball in for Hopper but he couldn’t get enough power on his header before Hopper was played through and his pass across goal was just cut out by Derrick Williams with Madden waiting at the far post where he would have been left with a tap in.
Hopper was proving a real handful and after a ball in from Murphy had taken a couple of deflections the ball fell to Hopper who dragged his shot narrowly wide.
However, the Robins showed why they were one of the stand out sides this season as a great backheel by Emmanuel-Thomas sent Joe Bryan clear but he pulled his shot wide.
The Scunthorpe resistance was broken five minutes from time when Emmanuel-Thomas held off a couple of challenges and squared the ball to Freeman who beat Boyce from just inside the area.
It was cruel luck on Scunthorpe who had bossed large parts of the game but just couldn’t find that killer touch.

SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Slocombe (Severn 9, Canvan 42), Clarke, Boyce, Llera, Williams, O’Neil (McSheffrey 80), Bishop, Madden, Osbourne, Murphy, Hopper.
Subs not used: Davey, Adelakun, Taylor, Wootton.
BRISTOL CITY: Fielding, Williams, Flint, Ayling, Tavernier (Little 72), Smith, Elliott (Saville 80), Freeman, Bryan (Cunningham 88), Smith, Emmanuuel-Thomas.
Subs not used: Richards,Osborne, Wagstaff, Pack.
Attendance: 3,611 (483 away).