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Scunthorpe named Lincoln transfer target Jamie McCombe on their bech, alongside leading scorer Steve MaClean. Out wide on the right for Scunthorpe was on loan Bolton Wanderers forward Cleveland Taylor.
City started the brightest with Marcus Richardson bustling his way through after just 59 seconds, but his effort was straight at Tom Evans in the Scunthorpe goal.
Steve Torpey had a good chance to put the Iron ahead on 8 minutes. A free kick was powered straight at Citys four man wall, and the loose ball was picked up by veteran winger Peter Beagrie. His swirling cross was headed down low by Torpey, but Alan Marriott was an hand to make a routine stop.
The Imps hit back with Francis Greens run and cross that was dummied by Marcus Richardson, and volleyed wide by Gary Fletcher.
On 18 Minutes Cleveland Taylor raced away on the right, and the home crowd held their breath. The premiership forward fired wide much to the amusement of the Stacey West end, when he really should have done better.
The game was taking a turn for the worst when Ben Futcher had to recieve treatment for a bloodied nose. The big defenders reaction to a dubious elbow by Steve Torpey suggested to the officials that it was delibrate, but no action was taken. As soon as Futch returned to the field Ben Sedgemore recieved a booking for a crude challenge on Matt Sparrow. The game was threatening to turn into a physical affair.
It was Sedgemore who had a great chance to make it 1-0 just minutes after his booking. The sublime Peter Gain spread the play wide to Gary Fletcher. He beat his man and turned a fantastic ball across goal. Francis Green missed his effort, and the ball fell to an unmarked Ben Sedgemore. The midsfielder scuffed his effort and Scunthorpe turned it away. City were beginning to make their mark on the game.
With 34 minutes on the clock Gary Fletcher found himself with time on the left for City. He knocked it short to Marcus Richardson with the big striker slipping a through ball into the path of Peter Gain. Citys prize assett made no mistake in sliding the ball past Tom Evans to nestle in the back of the goal. 1-0 to the Imps.
City continued to push forward in the remaining 10 minutes of the first half, but it was Scunthorpe who could have levelled deep into 4 minutes stoppage time. Ben Sedgemore blocked a Terry Barwick shot, and the ball fell to Taylor on the far post.He should have done better but fired his effort directly at Alan Marriott in the first halfs final incident.
The second half started as brightly as the first for City as they pressed an increasingly streched Scunthorpe side for that all important second goal. Mark Bailey broke away down the right and whipped in a teasing cross that Andy Butler was forced to head over his own bar. Sedgemores resulting corner was clipped goalward by Richardson, but the strikers effort was deflected away by the Iron back four.
The 65th minute introduction of MaClean didn't dampen the home sides spirits, and Peter Gain should have added to his seasons tally of three with a golden oppotunity after the scotsman came on the field. Fletcher found space in the centre of the field and crafted a superb ball to the left into the path of Gain. The midfielder picked the ball up and advanced on Tom Evans goal, but his shot was parried away superbly by Evans and the rebound just eluded the advancing Mark Bailey.
City looked like a side pressing for three points, and substute Simon Yeo could have wrapped it up minutes after his introduction. The speedy cult hero broke free on the left, but a slight bobble took the ball away from him enough to allow Butler to block the shot. As City began to wind down, Scunthorpe put the foot on the gas.
However it wasn't hard work or a sustained spell of pressure that brought the equaliser, more an act of god. Cleveland Taylor, ineffective as a rule all afternoon, picked up the ball wide on the right flank. As Paul Mayo closed the winger down he hit a hopeful cross into an unpopulated area. A crule spin took the ball over Alan Marriotts head, dropping agonisingly in the back of the net.
Brian Laws introduced Jamie McCombe with ten minutes to play, and Scunthorpe shut up shop at the back. The remaining 8 minutes, plus 4 injury time brought little reward for City. A late Francis Green cross was turned wide by Yeo under pressure from Butler, but Scunthorpe weathered the late storm to earn a credible point in their battle against relegation.
Final score Imps 1 - 1 Iron.