5:15pm Saturday 23rd February 2008
By Adam Leitch
SAINTS boss Nigel Pearson was happy to come away with a point against ten-man Scunthorpe after a late penalty from Gregory Vignal.
It emerged after the game the spot kick was awarded for Andy Butler's tug on Stern John.
Vignal's finish from the spot salvaged a draw against ten-man Scunthorpe - and gave Pearson his first point as Saints boss.
Pearson said: "It was always going to be a difficult game.
"I think really to sum up my first week it's certainly been tough. The players have been a bit low on confidence and it was important to come here and try and be slightly more organised than Tuesday night. From that you have a foundation to build on.
"I said to the players "don't get carried away, it's a point" but it's a difficult place to come, they're scrapping for their lives.
"We're off to a start and we face a difficult end to the season and how we move on will give us a better picture of where we're at."
Andy Crosby gave the hosts the lead with a follow-up to his own spot kick five minutes before half-time before the officials played a decisive second-half role.
First the referee sent off Matt Sparrow and late on one of his linesmen spotted an offence in the area that gave Gregory Vignal the chance to score from the spot and grab a valuable draw in a game Saints could barely have afforded to lose.
Saints threatened two minutes into the game when Vignal curled in a left footed right wing free kick that evaded everybody and drifted just wide of the far post.
Scunthorpe's first opening came on seven minutes when they won a free kick 25 yards out to the right of centre but it was fired straight into the wall by Ian Morris.
The home team should have taken the lead on 12 minutes.
Saints didn't clear a ball into the area and, after appeals for a penalty from Jack Cork after a tackle by Andrew Davies were waved away, Kelvin Davis made a stop in a melee before the ball came back out to Cork who mishit his shot over the bar from eight yards when he should have scored.
It was certainly a cagey opening to the game, Scunthorpe having to defend a strong breeze and both teams looking understandably edgy.
But it was in the final third that things really weren't happening for either side.
There were periods of neat interplay and passing from the back and through the midfield but when it came to that killer ball or shot in the final third both sides looked short of confidence.
Davis had to be alert on 24 minutes to dive to his left to save Martin Paterson's effort from 20 yards out.
Vignal became the first player in the book on 27 minutes for a trip on Morris.
Saints were conceding a lot of needless free kick around the edge of their own box but were fortunate the delivery from Morris was so poor.
Pearson's side were too often just lumping the ball forward aimlessly and were showing little sign of much invention to break Scunthorpe down.
In fairness the home side were only a little better in what had been a very poor first half all round. But they were thrown a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty.
Saints couldn't quite get a corner clear and as Paterson tracked across the area with the ball Jhon Viafara brought him down.
On 40 minutes Crosby ran up to take the spot kick but Davis got down to his right to save it but the ball just came back out into the path of Crosby who made no mistake the second time round and made it 1-0.
That proved to be the decisive moment of the half and when the referee blew his whistle to end the first 45 minutes Scunthorpe went into the break with something to defend and Saints with it all to do.
Scunthorpe made a change at half time with Izzy Iriekpen replacing Jack Hobbs.
The home side thought they had scored a second when Sparrow finished from close range after Davis spilled the ball but the flag had long been up and there were few protests.
Saints at least managed to get a shot on target on 52 minutes when Stern John hit a volley from just inside the box that was well struck but straight at Joe Murphy.
The game took a dramatic twist on 54 minutes when the referee John Moss sent off Sparrow. He went in for a challenge with Wayne Thomas, both benches were appealing but the referee decided Sparrow's challenge was over the ball with a stamp and showed him the red card.
Suddenly Saints had all the impetus they needed to push on and try and rescue the game.
Pearson tried to capitalise by bringing on Adam Hammill for Andrew Surman on 57 minutes.
Scunthorpe were initially doing a decent job of containing Saints and weren't without any attacking ambition themselves.
Scunthorpe made a change to try to keep Saints busy at the back with Jonathan Forte on for Geoff Horsfield on 67 minutes.
As things got a little heated in the match Hammill was booked for dissent.
Pearson made a second switch to try to get a goal with Bradley Wright-Phillips replacing Thomas on 70 minutes. Jermaine Wright switched to right back as Saints went to a 4-3-3 formation.
Inigo Idiakez tried an outrageous chip from 25 yards but the ball just landed into the arms of Murphy.
Saints were really struggling to put Scunthorpe under a sustained spell of pressure and you felt if they could manage that then there would be something for them in the game.
Pearson made a final switch on 79 minutes with Mario Licka replacing Viafara.
Hammill cut in from the left and tried a right footed shot but fired it wide of the far post.
Licka was the next to try from distance as he hit a terrific shot from 25 yards that took a deflection and flew just wide.
As the game went into the final minutes Saints were finally making their man advantage count and Scunthorpe were desperately defending in their own area.
There was an incredible moment five minutes from time as Saints were awarded a penalty.
Nobody, including the referee, saw the incident but the linesman flagged. The referee went and spoke to his assistant and gave the penalty but nobody seemed sure quite why.
But it didn't matter for Saints as Vignal stepped up and buried it in Murphy's bottom left hand corner sending the keeper the wrong way and making it 1-1.
Scunthorpe made a late change with Ben May replacing Paterson.
Saganowski had a chance to win it for Saints in injury time when he was picked out by Licka. It was a difficult chance as he controlled and immediately half volleyed but it was a long way off target.
Wright-Phillips had a terrific opportunity as he beat the offside trip, skipped round the keeper but put the ball into the side netting.
Full reaction, match report and pictures in Monday's Daily Echo
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