SCUNTHORPE 2 CITY 0

CITY slipped to a disappointing defeat at struggling Scunthorpe last night.

An early Abo Eisa goal saw the visitors get off to a nightmare start, with Devarn Green adding a second on the hour mark.

City had plenty of chances, with Charles Vernam and Elliot Watt seeing long-range first half efforts come back off the woodwork, before the former missed a sitter just after the break.

Paudie O'Connor and Gareth Evans both had great chances to halve the deficit late on, but Richard O'Donnell made several good saves to stop the scoreline getting worse.

An early free-kick by Eisa was well tipped over by a stretching O’Donnell, but the winger made no mistake moments later.

Vernam tripped over the ball after some good footwork, Scunthorpe broke, and former Bantam Alex Gilliead found Eisa down the middle, who slotted past O'Donnell.

City almost hit back instantly, when Connor Wood slipped the ball into Vernam.

The winger made room and fizzed in a shot from just outside the box, but it crashed off the crossbar.

On 20 minutes, Jacob Bedeau flattened Levi Sutton in the air.

That handed City a free-kick 30 yards out and Watt stepped up and fired a spectacular effort at goal, which crashed off the inside of the post and away.

Surprise starter Kian Scales had a quiet start in the number 10 role, but a long ball down the middle from Paudie O'Connor saw the teenager get in behind.

Sadly his spectacular left-footed volley sailed over the crossbar.

Eisa was causing City no end of problems and should have had an assist just before the break.

The experienced Jem Karacan knocked the ball through, Eisa performed a neat turn and drove forward, before playing Green in one on one down the inside right.

A heavy touch took him wide but O'Donnell still had to spread himself well to make a key save.

City nearly equalised in first half injury-time. Cook barrelled his way through and prodded the ball to Scales, who was denied by a brilliant goal-saving challenge.

Levi Sutton’s frustration surfaced immediately after the break, as he was booked for a clumsy late challenge on Lewis Spence.

But City should have levelled after 52 minutes. Ollie Crankshaw swung a superb ball into the back post and Cook used his strength to knock the ball down.

Vernam ran on to it and looked certain to bury the chance, but Bedeau threw himself in front of man and ball and the winger slammed it wide from a couple of yards out.

There were howls for a penalty but the referee Tom Nield waved away the vociferous appeals.

And City were made to pay when Scunthorpe made it 2-0 just before the hour mark.

Young Teddy Howe's hanging ball up to the back post was knocked down by Ryan Loft and Green beat O'Donnell to the loose ball to hook it in for 2-0.

City changed to a 3-5-2 when Danny Rowe came on for Watt and Evans replaced Vernam on 73 minutes.

But it was an inauspicious start for Rowe, as he was booked within seconds for a needless foul on Howe.

Paudie O'Connor was then robbed on the halfway line and Alfie Beestin slipped Loft through. He got in behind and tried to clip it past the keeper, but a strong left hand prevented the goal.

O'Donnell kept City in it again immediately afterwards, with Gilliead's low drive well parried and Eisa and Beestin getting in each other's way on the rebound.

Then it was City's turn to waste good chances. A fine corner in by Evans was somehow glanced off-target by Paudie O'Connor from four yards out, before Evans' low free-kick was poked wide after a scramble.

City should have scored again when the ball dropped to Evans at the back post, but his weak effort was cleared off the line from a few yards out.

Paudie O’Connor was then booked for a crude challenge on substitute Olufela Olomola, his ninth yellow of the season, meaning a two-game ban if he picks any more up before mid-April.

Olomola soon caused City even more problems, as he was denied by a superb low save from O'Donnell.

Deep into the seven minutes of injury-time, and the ball dropped to emergency striker Anthony O’Connor, but he couldn’t sort his feet out and the chance and the result disappeared.

City drop to 14th after the defeat, with their play-off dream slowly slipping away.

CITY: O'Donnell 7, A. O'Connor 6, P. O'Connor 5, Canavan 5, Wood 7, Watt 6 (Rowe 73 min), Sutton 5, Crankshaw 6 (Stevens 89min), Vernam 6 (Evans 73 min), Scales 6 (Donaldson 89min), Cook 6. Subs: Hornby, Foulds, Burrell.

SCUNTHORPE: Howard 7, Howe 7 (J. Rowe 87min), Clarke 7, Bedeau 8, Brown 6 (Hippolyte 54 min, 6), Gilliead 8, Spence 6, Karacan 6 (McAtee 87min), Eisa 8, Green 7 (Beestin 76min), Loft 7 (Olomola 87min). Subs not used: Watson, Jessop.

CITY MAN OF THE MATCH: Richard O'Donnell