Batty, Gale and Belehouan on target as Scunthorpe win FA Cup derby at Boston
Sunday 18 October 2026 · By Kevin Ollerton
Scunthorpe United won the Lincolnshire derby and a place in the FA Cup first round with a 3–1 victory at Boston United on Saturday.
Andy Butler kept the 3-5-2 shape his side used in the National League Cup, with Belehouan, Evans and Denton returning to the side, and the change paid off. Dan Batty opened the scoring with a deflected free kick, and James Gale finished on the stroke of half-time to make it 2–0 at the break.
Jean Belehouan added the third in the second half, his first goal of the season. Both Gale and Belehouan are former Boston players, which added to the satisfaction for a travelling contingent of 395 in a crowd of 1,708.
Scunthorpe might have won by more. Norwood had a goal ruled out for offside, while goalkeeper Maison Campbell made a save from Terrell Agyemang at the other end. Lenell John-Lewis scored a late consolation for Boston, but it did not change the outcome.
The win follows a National League Cup victory on penalties over Derby County under-21s on Tuesday 13 October, so Scunthorpe have now come through two cup ties in a week. Those results offer a timely lift, because the Iron’s league position is the real concern.
The BBC table, which has not changed since 10 October, shows Scunthorpe 22nd with 10 points from 12 games. They have won three, drawn one and lost eight, and are two points behind Boston, Hartlepool United and Wealdstone. Their most recent league game was a 2–0 defeat at AFC Fylde on 10 October.
Scunthorpe do have a game in hand. Their home match against Forest Green Rovers, postponed on 3 October, still has no new date, and neither club has announced one.
First, though, comes the FA Cup first-round draw on Monday 19 October. Scunthorpe will be ball number 56. The draw is live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max and the TNT Sports YouTube channel, with the programme starting at 6.30pm BST and the draw itself at about 6.35pm. League One and League Two clubs enter at this stage, and first-round ties will be played around the weekend of 7 November. The fourth qualifying round win is also worth £9,375 in prize money.
The league programme resumes at home on Saturday 24 October, when Woking visit at 3pm BST. Woking were knocked out of the cup at Boreham Wood on Saturday but pushed the leaders hard in a 3–2 defeat.
Scunthorpe then travel to Tamworth on Tuesday 27 October at 7.45pm, before returning to Boston for a league rematch on Saturday 31 October, with a 5.30pm kick-off. Both of those times are GMT, as the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October.
Butler will be hoping that Saturday’s result marks a turning point. With the new shape working and Belehouan off the mark, Scunthorpe have three league games in eight days in which to start climbing away from the bottom four. A cup run would be welcome, but league points are the priority.
Glanford Park — sponsored as the Attis Arena — has been home to Scunthorpe United since 1988. It sits on Jack Brownsword Way, just off the M181 on the western edge of town, postcode DN15 8TD. Capacity is 9,088. For visiting supporters it is a compact, enclosed four-sided ground: three all-seater stands and one home terrace, all single-tier and of similar height. Corners are built in but not used for spectators. The low roofs keep noise in, so even a modest away following can be heard.
Away fans are housed in the AMS Stand on the south side, behind the goal. It is all-seated and holds up to 1,678. Turnstiles are 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A and 7B. Under the stand there is a bar, toilets and refreshments, plus TV screens. A few supporting pillars sit along the front of the stand and can clip the view, so if you can choose a seat, avoid sitting dead behind a post. For bigger followings the club sometimes opens an overspill section of the Mortz Stand (east) nearest the AMS corner. That is the exception, not the rule; check the club’s visiting-supporters page for the fixture.
Opposite you is the Britcon Stand, the north end and the only terrace. Home fans call it the Doncaster Road End. The loudest Iron support gathers at the back of that terrace, so you will be looking at a wall of noise through the goal. The main stand on the west touchline is the Threadgold Stand: directors, press, family seating, tunnel, shop and ticket office. The Mortz Stand faces it on the east side and includes wheelchair bays in the centre. All four stands have refreshments and toilets.
Getting there is straightforward by car. Leave the M180 at junction 3 onto the M181; the ground is signposted and appears on the right at the end of the spur. More than 600 spaces sit in the stadium complex for home and away cars, typically £5 on the day or £4 if booked ahead via the club ticket site. Nearby retail parks often restrict matchday parking, so use the official car park if you can. Scunthorpe railway station is about two miles away — not a comfortable walk — so budget for a taxi or local bus. There are no cash turnstiles. On-the-day sales, when offered, are from the ticket booth in the north-east corner.
The Iron Bar under the Britcon Stand is primarily a home facility; away access is not guaranteed, so ring the ticket office on 01724 747670 or email [email protected] before you travel. A regular recommendation just off the main road is The Old Farmhouse on Doncaster Road. Inside the AMS Stand the usual pies, hot drinks and beer are available. Pillars and a low roof are the main caveats; the view from most AMS seats is otherwise decent and you are right behind the action at one end.
Expect a functional, no-frills English ground rather than a bowl. Kick-off times, allocations and any segregation changes are published by the club before each match. Arrive early if you want a pint and a seat without a pillar in your eyeline. Glanford Park rewards a lively away end: the enclosed shape carries sound, and the home terrace opposite usually answers it.