Scunthorpe United 0-2 Swansea City
Report from Glanford Park

Click here for a detailed minute-by-minute analysis of the game

United looked jaded as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Swansea City at Glanford Park on Saturday.

Craig Beattie gave the Swans the lead just before the break, and they added a second through Cedric Van Der Gun soon after the break against a visiting team that always looked on top.

The Iron entered the game making three changes from the side that lost in the Carling Cup at Manchester City in midweek.

Rob Jones missed out with a back injury and was replaced by Niall Canavan, Sam Togwell came in for Martyn Woolford, while Gary Hooper replaced Jonathan Forte.

Joe Murphy started the game in goal, with the defence consisting of captain Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Canavan and Marcus Williams.

The midfielders were Michael O'Connor, Sam Togwell, Josh Wright and Grant McCann, while Paul Hayes partnered Hooper up front.

New loan signing George Friend was a substitute, with Sam Slocombe, Jordan Spence, Woolford, Forte, Matt Sparrow and Garry Thompson also on the bench.

It was a quiet Glanford Park that greeted the teams as they entered the pitch ahead of kick-off. The fans were hoping to see a performance that would give them plenty to shout about.

Scunthorpe took a while to get going though, and it was the Swans who had the first chance of the afternoon eight minutes in when Mark Gower smashed over the crossbar.

The best early opening for the hosts arrived in the 15th minute when Togwell did well to win the ball and sent Hooper charging through. The marksman's touch let him down though and after he chased the ball he put in a poor cross which was well cleared.

Chances were very limited in the opening half hour, with patient build-up play being the order of the day.

Swansea looked a danger when they got in and around the Iron area but United cleared their lines well.

The visitors took the lead in the 32nd minute when Beattie smashed in a low shot from a free-kick beyond the dive of Murphy to his right and into the back of the home net.

Three minutes later Murphy made a terrific save to keep the score down to one, as Beattie turned in the area to strike in a low shot across goal which the Irishman tipped out for a corner.

As the half wore on it was Swansea who looked most likely to net the next goal, and the Iron had to work hard to keep the score down before half-time.

Soon after the break, Murphy was called into action once more - making a superb save to tip out Beattie's effort low down to his left and tipping out for a corner.

The hosts had a half-chance shortly after as Hayes dragged wide from just inside the area.

There was a Scunthorpe substitution soon into the half as McCann was replaced by Sparrow and Woolford came on for Wright.

It was the second of those replacements who had the next opportunity for United, with Sparrow heading wide following Togwell's flick-on from a Byrne cross.

The Swans extended their lead in the 67th minute when Van Der Gun latched on to a throughball from Pratley and struck past Murphy from the edge of the 12-yard box.

It was a tired-looking performance from Scunthorpe and it never seemed like they were going to get back into the game. The Swansea defence were well on top of things, and Thompson came on for Hayes with around 15 minutes left as a fresh dimension going forward was seeked.

It never came though, and United went down to a forgettable loss against Paulo Sousa's side.

The Iron are next in action on Saturday when they visit Blackpool.

Attendance: 5,201 (314 away).

Sponsors' man of the match: Michael O'Connor.