Match ends, Scunthorpe United 1, Northampton Town 1.
ScunthorpeScunthorpe United1NorthamptonNorthampton Town1
Zander Diamond headed his first goal for 10-man Northampton to deny Scunthorpe a victory that would have taken them to the top of League Two.
The on-loan defender found the top corner from Darren Carter's free-kick.
After a largely forgettable first half, Niall Donovan nodded the home side in front from Andy Dawson's corner.
Northampton's Ricky Ravenhill was sent off for a second yellow card, but after Diamond's equaliser, keeper Matt Duke denied Paddy Madden to secure a point.
The draw extended the Iron's unbeaten run to 19 matches, equalling a club record set in 2006-07, but Russ Wilcox's side had to settle for climbing above Rochdale into second place in the table on goal difference, having only won two of their last 10.
Northampton have not lost in four games, but remained second from bottom and six points adrift of Accrington, the team immediately above them, who beat leaders Chesterfield 3-1.
Scunthorpe manager Russ Wilcox told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I feel anger, it's a game we should have won, it's a game we should have managed better. They were down to 10 men. All we had to do was to stop giving silly free kicks away and look after the ball better.
"I've got a great group of players that are working so hard. Today we were just a little bit naive on managing the game.
"I can't understand the negativity at all. we are 19 games unbeaten now, it's a club record. I think the expectations have gone through the roof, we have to manage that wisely, but the players are focused and ready for [the next game on] Tuesday.
"There are not a lot of positives from today from my point of view. I probably feel the most disappointed I have felt in the 19 games because we had chances to win that game."
Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Northampton:
"We knew we were coming to a team at the top of the table on a fantastic run and I've got to say the manager here is doing a great job.
"After having Ricky Ravenhill sent off, the players put in a superb shift to get a point from the game.
"I think we've shown to everyone else in this league that we're a dangerous team in the last few weeks.
"I'm delighted with the result, with the attitude of my players and it's onwards and upwards to the Exeter game on Tuesday night."
Line-ups
Scunthorpe
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Slocombe
- 18Nolan
- 3DawsonSubstituted forHayesat 75'minutes
- 4McAllisterBooked at 66mins
- 5Mirfin
- 6CanavanBooked at 86mins
- 16AdelakunSubstituted forHawkridgeat 84'minutes
- 24Syers
- 29Winnall
- 27Madden
- 30WilliamsSubstituted forEsajasat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ribeiro
- 7Sparrow
- 10Esajas
- 13Severn
- 14Hawkridge
- 15Waterfall
- 39Hayes
Northampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Duke
- 2McSweeney
- 29Robertson
- 4Carter
- 23Diamond
- 27Kouo-Doumbe
- 17Deegan
- 34RavenhillBooked at 58mins
- 18ConnellSubstituted forHackettat 66'minutes
- 9MarquisSubstituted forSinclairat 61'minutes
- 8Morris
Substitutes
- 7Sinclair
- 11Hackett
- 12Tozer
- 13Snedker
- 24Toney
- 28Roberts
- 35Dickenson
- Referee:
- Kevin Wright
- Attendance:
- 3,968
Match Stats
Home TeamScunthorpeAway TeamNorthampton
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away1
- Corners
- Home5
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Scunthorpe United 1, Northampton Town 1.
Post update
Etienne Esajas (Scunthorpe United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Emile Sinclair (Northampton Town).
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Foul by Terry Hawkridge (Scunthorpe United).
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Chris Hackett (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Etienne Esajas (Scunthorpe United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
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Sean McAllister (Scunthorpe United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Darren Carter (Northampton Town).
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Attempt saved. Paddy Madden (Scunthorpe United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Foul by Terry Hawkridge (Scunthorpe United).
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Matthias Kouo-Doumbe (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Scunthorpe United. Etienne Esajas replaces Marcus Williams.
Booking
Niall Canavan (Scunthorpe United) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Niall Canavan (Scunthorpe United).
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Chris Hackett (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Scunthorpe United. Terry Hawkridge replaces Hakeeb Adelakun.
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Corner, Scunthorpe United. Conceded by Zander Diamond.
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Attempt blocked. Paddy Madden (Scunthorpe United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. Paddy Madden (Scunthorpe United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.
