The Iron returned to winning ways with a 3-0 home success over Hereford United on Tuesday night.

Gary Hooper and Kevan Hurst struck early on to calm any nerves against the strugglers, and Paul Hayes added a third in the closing stages.

As a result of Tranmere losing at Cheltenham, Scunthorpe re-enter the top six of League One.

The Iron went into the game making two changes from the side which drew at Carlisle United on Saturday.

Teenage defender Krystian Pearce returned to the side in place of veteran centre-back Andy Crosby, while Matt Sparrow replaced the injured Sam Togwell - who was suffering from a lower abdominal injury - in central midfield.

Joe Murphy started the game in goal, with Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Pearce and Joseph Mills forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Henri Lansbury, Sparrow, Grant McCann and Kevan Hurst while Paul Hayes partnered Gary Hooper up front.

The substitutes were Josh Lillis, Martyn Woolford, Andrew Wright, Liam Trotter and Kayode Odejayi.

Sitting seventh in the division, Scunthorpe knew that a win was needed so they could get back into the play-off zone.

However, standing in their way was a Bulls side fighting for their life in League One.

United had the first opportunity of the match three minutes in when Sparrow drew a save from the 'stopper with a low effort after being set up by Lansbury.

The first away chance came the way of Hereford, for whom Darren Dennehy missed the target with a powerful header from a Simon Johnson cross.

Scunthorpe, who were having the best of the possession, got off to a fine start, however, when Hooper - facing his former club - played a one two with Hayes and fired past Peter Gulasci from the right hand side of the area for his 26th strike of the campaign on seven minutes.

He shortly forced the 'stopper into another save when his effort from just outside the penalty area was blocked.

They built on the lead in the 19th minute when Hurst doubled the advantage with a fine individual goal - following Hooper's pass out wide.

After beating the left-back, his effort from the right hand side of the box beat the dive of Gulasci as the home support celebrated going two up. It was Hurst's third goal of the season.

Byrne had the next chance of the night in the 30th minute when his rasping strike from the edge of the penalty area went just wide of goal. McCann then struck wide a couple of shots from range.

The visitors attempted to get back into the game, and Johnson's acrobatic effort which went out for a throw-in showcasing their lack of luck in front of goal.

Beckwith had a header cleared off the line by Sparrow from a Johnson cross as the away side tried to show that they were still in the game. Scunthorpe went in two ahead at the break and were deserved leaders.

United continued as they left off at the start of the second half and Sparrow drilled wide of goal from the edge of the area after Hayes' clipped throughball. Then, Murphy tipped out a Fabian Brandy effort.

Hooper had a great chance to make it three when he raced clear after McCann's excellent pass but Gulasci did well to block his effort with his feet.

Then Hurst fizzed a strike which stung the goalkeeper's hands as the hosts continued to have the better of it against a poor Hereford team.

Shortly after, McCann curled a strike narrowly wide of the top right upright.

Guinan forced a decent stop from Murphy, as he tipped wide a shot from just outside the penalty area.

Then, on 70 minutes, Lansbury did well to win the ball and strike a piledriver which Gulasci caught well.

There was soon a substitution as Wright replaced Pearce - the substitute came in at right-back as captain Byrne switched to the centre.

Woolford then came on for Hurst on the left flank with 15 minutes remaining on the clock.

Hayes cleared the crossbar with a first time attempt from the left after being played in by Sparrow, but he wasn't to be disappointed for much longer.

Scunthorpe soon added a third as the former Barnsley marksman was played in by McCann on the right-hand side of midfield and slotted past Gulasci for his 16th goal of the season.

Lansbury received a standing ovation from the fans as he was brought off for the final change and Trotter came on in his place.

If anybody was going to score another it would be United, as the Bulls' fight had disappeared following Hayes' goal.

Woolford did well to negotiate his way past a defender on the turn, after receiving Hayes' pass, but his low drive was easily stopped by Gulasci.

The Iron ran out comfortable winners in the end and are next in action on Saturday when they host Brighton.

Iron Bar man of the match: Grant McCann.

Sponsors' man of the match: Joseph Mills.

Attendance: 3,672 (64 away).