Scunthorpe United 2 Bournemouth 2

Last updated : 10 April 2006 By Iron-Bru @ Glanford Park
In the end it was a deserved point as the Iron dictated matters in the late stages of the game after boss Brian Laws made some astute switches.

At times the game seemed to have an end of season feel, but the Cherries were well served by the speedy James O'Connor and James Hayter, while Gareth Stewart was their saviour on several occasions.

Scunthorpe's Nathan Stanton was in good form and the sterling work of Ian Baraclough can never be underestimated, while Andy Keogh's skills were demonstrated on a difficult afternoon due to a swirling wind.

The Cherries had an escape as early as the seventh minute when an error on the left by O'Connor saw the ball collected by Steve Torpey and he forced a brilliant one-handed save from Stewart.

A similar error four minutes later was punished when Eddie Howe brought Torpey down just inside the penalty area and Peter Beagrie stepped up to beat Stewart easily from the spot.

However, that failed to provide the spur for the Iron and the visitors came back with Steve Fletcher getting in a header that caused no problems.

Stanton then came to the rescue, clearing from Fletcher who was close to getting on the end of a cross by Stephen Purches.

Bournemouth were beginning to make inroads into the Scunthorpe defence and they were finally rewarded with Hayter's 19th goal of the season, a header from a free-kick curled in by Purches.

Scunthorpe upped the pace as the second half got underway and Baraclough fired in a testing shot from 25 yards that was flicked over by Stewart.

But Bournemouth struck back and from Marcus Browning's cross a fine volley by O'Connor cannoned off the woodwork as Scunthorpe stood ball-watching.

O'Connor fired the visitors ahead in the 64th minute; again hesitancy allowed him the space to crash home a 30-yard shot.

Switches in personnel brought more fight from Scunthorpe and Hayter cleared off the line from Crosby and then Stewart made a brilliant save to deny Keogh.

But that little more determination was rewarded six minutes from time when Hinds got forward to hook the ball home from 12 yards to grab a point.