The Iron cruised to a superb home victory, as they defeated Swindon Town 4-1 at Glanford Park.
Swindon simply couldn’t handle the hosts, as they produced a breathtaking display to maintain their position at the top of the League One table.All of Scunthorpe’s goals came in a superb first half, with two strikes from Paddy Madden accompanied by finishes from Duane Holmes and Kevin van Veen.
There was one change to the United side going into the game, as Scott Wiseman replaced Levi Sutton in the right-back berth.
The visitors frustrated Graham Alexander’s side early on, but the deserved breakthrough was found on 15 minutes. A well-worked training ground move opened Swindon up, with Conor Townsend eventually drilling the ball across goal, and giving Madden the simplest of tap-ins.
After taking the lead 15 minutes in, the hosts doubled their advantage five minutes later. It was this time a flowing move which unlocked the Robins’ back four, as van Veen guided the ball into the path of Holmes, who finished with his left foot from just inside the area.
Dutchman van Veen then nearly went from provider to goalscorer. Madden’s low cross from the right caused chaos in the goalmouth, but the Iron frontman couldn’t quite stab home.
It wouldn't be long before van Veen did get his goal however, and in some style too. After he’d beaten Lawrence Vigouroux in the Swindon goal to the ball, he superbly dinked it over the ‘keeper and finished with ease.
Just when the home faithful thought things couldn’t get any better, they did. Van Veen looked to have struck for a second time in quick succession, however his close range effort rattled the crossbar. The ball fell perfectly for Madden though, and gave him his second of the afternoon, as the Iron went in four up at the break.
The deficit was reduced shortly after the resumption of play, as Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson rose highest from a corner to pull one back for the visitors.
United were still well on top though, and continued to create chances, with Morris the next to test Vigouroux. The stopper did well to foil him however, as he pushed away his in-swinging free kick from the left.
Robins substitute Michael Doughty then looked to pull another back for the away side, but his low shot was grabbed by a diving Luke Daniels.
The opportunities for a fifth kept on coming, and also for Madden to complete his hat-trick. Vigouroux pulled off another fine stop to deny him with 25 minutes left on the clock, after Holmes had teed the Irishman up.
The Chilean inbetween the sticks was proving a tough obstacle for Scunthorpe in the second period and, not for the first time, he frustrated Morris, who attempted to prod the ball under him from close range.
Morris then tried his luck on the opposing flank, with his cross-shot just evading a sliding Tom Hopper at the far post, who was inches away from sealing the victory with a fifth.
It just wasn’t Morris’ day in front of goal, and he was denied for a final time with minutes left to play. The winger did everything right as he burst into the penalty area, but once more he met a Swindon stopper in good form.
4-1 is how it would finish and, despite the Iron having chances to add to the scoreline, they still ran out comfortable winners in the end.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Daniels, Wiseman (Sutton, 66), Wallace, Mirfin, Dawson, Madden, van Veen (Hopper, 75), Morris, Bishop (Smallwood, 50), Holmes, Townsend.
Substitutes not used: Anyon, Adelakun, Mantom, Goode.
Swindon Town: Vigouroux, Thompson, Thomas, Rodgers, Kasim, Goddard (Jones, 46), Iandolo (Doughty, 46), Furlong, Murray, Delfouneso (Stewart, 73), Rossi-Branco.
Substitutes not used: Henry, Evans, Norris, Young.
Attendance: 4,262.
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