STRIKERS Paul Hayes and Steve Torpey both ended their goal droughts in dramatic fashion as Scunthorpe showed their hand in the promotion race with a 4-0 thumping of Bristol Rovers.
Amid a tangible atmosphere of anticipation, the Iron started the match as they meant to go on - taking the play to the opposition, who offered little in the first half.
United seemed to have been devoid of early goals recently, but just when one was needed, it came in the most important match held at GlanfordPark since the play-off clash with Swansea in 1999.
Hayes was clearly up for the task - running his heart out, giving a first half performance only tarnished by mis-directing a header when unmarked five yards from goal.
Cliff Byrne has been in fine form throughout the campaign and he made his intentions clear with a couple of sorties from right-back which resulted in long-range efforts although they failed to test Ryan Clarke.
Moments later Torpey saw a volleyed effort tipped round the post but the veteran striker was not to be denied and on eight minutes he flicked a Richard Kell cross goalwards and with Clarke motionless the ball drifted into the back of the net.
The majority of the 6,925 in attendance were sent into raptures and things got better moments later as Beagrie's cross was again flicked towards goal by Torpey and again Clarke watched the ball into the net.
Rovers' first and only chance of the half almost brought them an immediate repost when former Iron favourite Jamie Forrester blasted a 20 yard free-kick towards goal but with Paul Musselwhite beaten the effort drifted wide.
That was as good as it got for Bristol and things looked to have got worse as half time approached when Torpey's header from Beagrie's cross seemed to be carried over the line by the hapless Clarke but the assistant referee waved away what seemed valid claims for a killer third goal.
The second half didn't quite live up to the first in terms of full on action, but nevertheless, United continued to dominate and doubled their tally.
The match was killed off as a contest in the first minute of the second stanza as Hayes caught the home defence flat-footed - racing clear before lobbing the ball home.
However, United's celebrations were tempered by what looked like a sickening injury to Kell.
The Scunthorpe midfielder was on the wrong end of an awful tackle from Craig Disley which earned the former Mansfield man his second yellow card of the match. Kell was carried off with a broken leg.
Still, the match went on and after Hayes had drilled a powerful effort narrowly the wrong side of the up right, Scunthorpe scored a deserved fourth when Bristol failed to deal with a corner and Taylor looped home a header from outside the box.
Results elsewhere mean United are a point off top spot and two clear of third and fourth meaning a point at Shrewsbury will be enough for promotion while all three might just take the title.
Match photo's: Derek Smith
See more action pics here
