Derby County 1-4 Scunthorpe United
Report from Pride Park

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Garry Thompson netted a stylish double to help United record their second away league win of the season, hammering Derby County 4-1 at Pride Park.

Gary Hooper gave the Iron an early lead before Thompson scored on the verge of half-time.

Substitute Kris Commons pulled a goal back for the hosts to make a game of it, but Thompson's second killed the game off as the Iron celebrated their second victory over the Rams this season.

Just to finish things off for the visitors, Forte fired home from close range to make it four.

The Iron entered the game making three changes from the team that beat Barnsley 1-0 in the FA Cup third round last week.

Rob Jones sat out with a hamstring injury so Cliff Byrne switched to central defence and took the team captaincy to cover his absence. Andrew Wright, meanwhile, returned to the side after suspension to line up at right-back.

Michael O'Connor recovered from a virus to replace Sam Togwell in midfield after being an unused substitute last weekend. Hooper, meanwhile, returned from illness to come in for Jonathan Forte up front.

With a shoulder injury still sidelining Joe Murphy, Josh Lillis started the game in goal, with Andrew Wright, David Mirfin, Byrne and Marcus Williams forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Thompson, O'Connor, Josh Wright and Martyn Woolford, while Paul Hayes supported Gary Hooper up front.

The substitutes were Sam Slocombe, Sam Togwell, Matt Sparrow, Jonathan Forte, Ben May, Jake Picton and Rory Coleman.

It was bitterly cold at Pride Park, with Derby doing exceptionally well to get the game on, on a day in which the vast majority of other matches in the country had been called off.

Wearing their claret and blue strip, the Iron entered the match knowing that, with the bottom three clubs out of action, they couldn't fall any further down the Championship table.

They were playing a side sitting just above them in the table and were seeking to record their second victory of the season against County, having defeated them 3-2 at Glanford Park back in August.

A United following of around 500 tried to stoke up an atmosphere in the early stages but the vast majority of the crowd were trying to keep warm.

Scunthorpe's first chance arrived on five minutes when a good passage of build-up play resulted in O'Connor rifling an effort goalwards which Stephen Bywater saved well.

Lillis was called into action for the first time shortly after as Rob Hulse worked an angle and drilled in a powerful strike which the shotstopper saved well.

In the 13th minute Hooper had a great chance to score when Dean Moxey backpassed it to Bywater but it didn't reach him, the Iron striker tried to fashion a goal from it but couldn't put the ball away as Bywater blocked the effort.

16 minutes in, United netted their opener as Hooper was played in by Woolford and he made no mistake, sliding the ball past Bywater for his ninth goal of the season.

Gary Hooper puts his side ahead.

Lillis was soon on hand to make a point blank stop from Lee Johnson after the ball had been deflected into his path. Mirfin was then quick to block off Hulse who tried to score the rebound.

It was an eventful opening half and the Iron drew another stop from Bywater on 19 minutes, with Woolford's effort from just inside the area testing the former West Ham man.

The next Scunthorpe opportunity came the way of Thompson shortly after following some decent build-up play again, but his shot went well over the bar.

Shortly, after he had an effort deflected wide as the visiting side continued to have the better of the play in the first half.

On the stroke of half-time, the away team made it two as Thompson was clipped through by Byrne, a ball which Hayes cleverly left, and struck a beautiful shot past Bywater to make it two for United and score his first goal at Championship level.

Garry Thompson puts his team two goals up.

It was the perfect time to notch a second goal, and Derby's players were booed off by their fans at half-time.

The home team had the first chance after the break as Hulse headed over the crossbar from a Paul Green cross.

Hayes then struck a fierce shot just over before looping an effort wide a short while after.

The home team's captain Savage was next to test Lillis with a half volley which the goalkeeper dived down low to his left to keep out.

But it wasn't long until they pulled a goal back as substitute Commons, who had come on for Porter at half-time, worked his way into the area and drilled in a shot which took a deflection off Williams and hit the back of the net, wrongfooting Lillis, who had dived down to his left.

The hosts continued to press and the large crowd started to get behind their side more.

There was a Scunthorpe change with 20 minutes left as Woolford was replaced by the combative Togwell.

And Hooper had a chance to make it safe soon after as he drilled a low shot goalwards which Bywater had to grab hold of twice such was the power put into it.

Soon after, County were almost level as Andrew Wright only just managed to get back to his goal-line and keep out Hulse's goalbound effort after a scramble in the area.

Togwell flashed a thunderous shot just wide before Thompson finished County off, with a sidefooted effort from just inside the area after he had been teed up by Hooper's low pass across the box and, to the adulation of the Scunthorpe following behind that goal, he celebrated.

Garry Thompson celebrates the decisive third goal.

Byrne thundered a header just wide soon after the visitors looked to make it four, while Forte came on for Hooper.

And the Barbados international soon scored. Thompson's shot took a deflection into his path and he slid the ball past Bywater for his third goal of the season.

Jonathan Forte strikes his team's final goal.

The Iron fans were chanting 'we want five', as O'Connor was replaced by Sparrow, but there were to be no more real chances in the four minutes of stoppage time at the end as Scunthorpe celebrated a memorable away day success.

United's players applaud the superb away following.

Nigel Adkins' side are next in action when they host Cardiff City on Saturday.

Attendance: 28,106 (754 away)