Osborn’s Match

Scunthorpe had obviously had a rollicking from Laws at half time, as they came out in a much more positive mood, but Walsall stayed secure enough, so much so that Ruddy wasn’t having to touch the ball in anger. The old failings from this season showed up again, though, after nine minutes, when the defence went completely to sleep and top scorer Sharp was left with a simple tap in to equalise for the ten men.

Time for someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and someone did - Simon Osborn. He first produced an exquisite chip from the edge of the box to put the Saddlers ahead again, a goal which should be a contender for goal of the week, probably goal of the month and maybe goal of the season, then turned his man and hammered home the third to surely take the points.
The Saddlers finished with Husbands, Wright and Fryatt on the pitch and Scunthorpe were unable to take any risks with that much pace lined up against them

3 - 1 to the Saddlers then, as the players again responded to a bad run as they did so often last season. This was not a great performance, however, as the lapses were still there at the back, it’s just that Scunthorpe never looked capable of exploiting them. Three very, very welcome points and a confidence boost, however.

Man of the Match was undoubtedly the magnificent Osborn, who was superb in midfield even without the two goals, but Smith also had a fine game, as he starts to reach match fitness at last.

The Fat Controller reporting from Scunthorpe.

The home side, if anything, started the brighter of the two sides, but that didn’t last long, as Scunthorpe decided to help out the under pressure Paul Merson by pressing the self destruct button.

First of all, Jorge Leitao twisted and turned into the area, only to to brought down from behind for a clear penalty. Matty Fryatt duly stroked the spot kick into the bottom corner, as usual.

Leitao was injured in this incident and had to go off not long afterwards, but this meant a change of formation, as Merson went further forward as we adopted a 4 4 1 1, giving the team better shape.

Scunthorpe decided to help the cause even more when Simon Osborn produced a bad foul on Ryan, for which he was rightly boooked, but the home player got up and elbowed Ossie in the face, receiving a stright red card.

The rest of the half was something of a none event, with Scunthorpe having the better of the possession, but Ruddy being vitrually unemployed, with Smith and Osborn controlling the middle of the park.

Team line up directly from the Fat Controller at Scunthorpe:-

Ruddy

Pead Westwood Gerrard Fox

Merson Osborn Taylor Smith

Leitao Fryatt

Subs: Staunton, Kinsella, Husbands, Wright, Gilmartin

Sunny, but cool.