Scunthorpe United roared to the top of League One with a comfortable 3-0 win over Crewe Alexandra at Glanford Park.

The visitors offered little going forward, and it could have been more as the Iron hit the woodwork twice.

Martyn Woolford's tap-in gave the hosts a half-time lead, before Paul Hayes and Izzy Iriekpen struck in the second-half to seal the success which sees Nigel Adkins' team go above Leicester City on goals scored.

Ahead of their match, the Iron made two changes from the side that beat Grimsby Town in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Tuesday night.

Joe Murphy returned from suspension to come in for Josh Lillis between the sticks, while Iriekpen made his comeback from a groin problem to come in for Andy Crosby. Both players dropped down to the bench. The defence consisted of Cliff Byrne, Iriekpen, David Mirfin and Marcus Williams, while Matt Sparrow, Sam Togwell, Ian Morris and Woolford lined up in midfield. The strikers were Hayes and Gary Hooper, while the bench included Lillis, Crosby, Jonathan Forte, Andrew Wright and Ben May.

Scunthorpe started the match by attacking the Doncaster Road end and it was Hayes who had the first chance of the afternoon three minutes in when he turned to find a little bit of space on the edge of the area before curling his effort just over Steve Collis' crossbar.

The forward then came close again five minutes later when he got on the end of a cross from Byrne to head an effort goalwards, which was tipped out by Collis.

Sparrow was next to register an effort on goal, with Collis tipping his low left-footed strike wide for a corner.

Then, from the subsequent set-piece, the midfielder volleyed over the crossbar after the ball was only partially cleared.

19 minutes in, Hooper could then have given United the lead. Togwell flicked the ball on for the former Southend man, who got around Collis but saw his shot hit the side-netting.

The Iron were the better team so far and continued to press forward. Hooper launched anoither attack by breaking down the left flank, and playing in Hayes, who in turn put through Sparrow. However, Collis was equal to his shot from just inside the penalty area.

Togwell then turned well to volley an effort into the arms of the Crewe stopper after a cross from Byrne.

They finally went ahead on 35 minutes when Hayes flicked the ball on for Hooper, who turned well in the right-hand side of the box to leave Woolford, who was in space, the simple task of slotting home from three yards for his second goal in a Scunthorpe shirt.

On the stroke of half-time, Murphy made a terrific stop, as he tipped out a header from Tom Pope after Steven Schumacher's free-kick found him. It was the visitors' first real chance of the match, and a warning that they weren't going to sit back and let Scunthorpe dominate.

The final chance of the half came the Iron's away in stoppage time when Hayes weaved his way through and set up Woolford, whose shot from the edge of the box was well handled by Collis.

Hooper orchestrated the first opportunity of the second period, when he moved into the area and drilled a shot just wide of Collis' left-hand post.

Hayes then hooked an effort wide after Woolford's cross as the hosts continued searching for their second.

The away side were still not offering a great deal going forward, and Woolford created a fine individual opportunity for himself on 61 minutes when he dribbled from his own half and fired a left-footed thunderbolt just over Collis' right-hand post from the edge of the box.

Then, a minute later, Hooper smacked the outside of the same post after the ball dropped well for him just inside the area and he fired past the advancing opposition custodian.

66 minutes in, and Woolford's superb effort flew back into play off the underside of the crossbar as Scunthorpe stepped it up chasing their second goal.
 
Just one minute later, though, the Iron finally added their second as Morris clipped the ball through for Hooper, who charged into the area and laid the ball off for Hayes, who fired past Collis from close range for his sixth goal of the season.

Scunthorpe netted their third goal on 80 minutes when Iriekpen climbed above his man to get on the end of a corner from Woolford to powerfully head home his third goal in three games.

The hosts made a double substitution a few minutes later as May came on for Hayes and Forte replaced Morris.

And Forte could have made it four when he was played through by May, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.

There was a final change when Togwell was replaced by Wright. It was the last action of note as United comfortably held on to their lead.

The table toppers are next in action when they visit Cheltenham on Saturday.

Attendance: 4,790 (174 away).

Iron Bar man of the match: Sam Togwell.

Sponsors' man of the match: Martyn Woolford.