Dramatic scoring spree earns promotion for Pirates

One of the great things about football is its never-ending capacity to surprise as witnessed by Real Madrid’s extraordinary injury-time comeback against Manchester City recently.

But it is not just at the top level you get such drama.

Take the events at Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium last Saturday which saw the home team clinch a most unlikely automatic promotion from League Two on the final day with an extraordinary 7-0 victory over relegated Scunthorpe.

The afternoon started with the Bristol club, nicknamed the Pirates, in fourth place and needing to match third-placed Northampton’s result and win by another five goals or more than the Cobblers.

When Northampton took an early 3-0 lead at Barrow in a game which eventually finished 3-1, it didn’t look good for the Pirates.

Playing against a young Scunthorpe side, which included seven teenagers, Rovers held a 2-0…