United went down to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat against Bristol Rovers at Glanford Park on Saturday.

First half goals from Darryl Duffy and Jo Kuffour sealed the success against Nigel Adkins' men, who were thankful for the fact that the majority of their promotion rivals also dropped points.

Paul Hayes missed a second-half penalty as a lacklustre Scunthorpe struggled to create opportunities against a Rovers side who sat back to hold on to their lead.

The Iron chose an unchanged side for the game, as manager Nigel Adkins kept faith with the team that had beaten Millwall two weeks earlier.

Joe Murphy started the fixture in goal, with the defence consisting of Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Krystian Pearce and Andrew Wright.

The midfield line-up included Garry Thompson, Matt Sparrow, Grant McCann and Martyn Woolford, while Hayes and Gary Hooper led the attack.

The substitutes were Sam Slocombe, Sam Togwell, Kevan Hurst, Ian Morris and Henri Lansbury, who was on the Scunthorpe bench for the first ever time and was looking to make his home debut.

The game got off to a quiet start, with United - being the home side - trying to break down the Rovers defence. In all fairness, however, they were equal to everything Scunthorpe threw at them in the opening stages and were starting to frustrate the home following already.

McCann, Hayes and Hooper had efforts blocked while Woolford drilled an effort wide of goal.

Rovers took the lead with their first real shot of the game as Duffy worked his way into a little bit of space on the right-hand side of the 18-yard box and drilled a low shot across Murphy and into his bottom right-hand corner.

They continued to frustrate the hosts with resolute defending and extended their advantage through Kuffour, who sped down the left and slipped a shot under the onrushing Murphy.

Scunthorpe couldn't muster much else in what, for the home team, was a poor first half.

Lansbury replaced Woolford hor his home debut at half-time as the hosts searched for a way back into the game.

Thompson sped into the penalty area and flicked an effort just wide of goal in the opening minute of the second period.

Lansbury then sent in a cross from deep which Steve Elliott headed wide of his own post.

On 54 minutes, United were given a penalty by referee Dave Foster. A moment of excellent skill on the left flank by Pearce, who had come up for a set-piece, saw the defender beat his man and send in a powerful low cross-cum-shot which reached Hooper, who flicked the ball up for it to be handled by Craig Hinton.

Paul Hayes stepped up to take the penalty but his clipped effort was kept out by the feet of Rovers 'stopper Steve Phillips.

Scunthorpe made a double change as Togwell replaced Sparrow and Morris came on for Wright.

Missing the penalty took the wind out of United's sails, though, and they didn't look like getting back into the game.

They had one of their best chances of the second period on 76 minutes when McCann's curling free-kick was tipped over the crossbar by Phillips.

And it was the Northern Ireland international, again, who could have pulled a late goal back for the hosts but his thunderbolt bounced back into play off the underside of the crossbar.

Scunthorpe are next in action on Tuesday night when they visit Rotherham United in the Northern Section Final second leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Iron Bar man of the match: Garry Thompson.

Sponsors' man of the match: Krystian Pearce.

Attendance: 4,156 (196 away).