Scunthorpe United 2-4 Blackpool
Report from Glanford Park

Click here for a detailed minute by minute analysis from the game

United suffered a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Blackpool at Glanford Park on Friday.

Andrew Wright's own goal put the Seasiders ahead in the first half but Scunthorpe equalised through Grant McCann's penalty early in the second period.

Blackpool scored three late goals though to seal the win, with Seamus Coleman thrashing home after a solo run, and substitute Dudley Campbell adding two goals to sink Scunthorpe.

Gary Hooper pulled a goal back towards the end but it wasn't a Good Friday at Glanford Park for the North Lincolnshire side.

The Iron entered the game making two changes from the side which was victorious at Sheffield United last weekend.

Kenny Milne returned to the side in place of calf injury victim David Mirfin, while Matt Sparrow returned from a hamstring injury to replace Donal McDermott on the right wing.

Joe Murphy started in goal, with Andrew Wright, Michael Raynes, Milne and Marcus Williams forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Sparrow, Sam Togwell, Grant McCann (who shook off a hamstring injury) and Martyn Woolford, while Paul Hayes partnered Garry Thompson up front.

The substitutes were Josh Lillis, Niall Canavan, Jim McNulty, Donal McDermott, Michael O'Connor, Josh Wright and Gary Hooper, who returned from a groin injury.

Scunthorpe started well, with Thompson attacking down the left wing and winning an early corner but nothing came of it.

He was then played through but was stopped in his tracks by goalkeeper Matt Gilks, while Sparrow soon had a chance deflected wide of goal.

After that, it was the away side who were having the better of the match as Gary Taylor-Fletcher sent a header just wide.

Billy Clarke soon sent the ball into the box for Ben Burgess, but he connected and sent the ball wide.

Then, in the 22nd minute, Blackpool went ahead as Coleman's cross from deep was met by Andrew Wright, under pressure from Burgess, who tried to volley back to Murphy but saw the ball fly past the Irishman to his left and into the back of the net.

Shortly after, Stephen Dobbie dispossessed Raynes and tried to beat Murphy from 40 yards with his effort from out on the left just looping wide.

Scunthorpe were struggling to get into the game as the Seasiders continued to have the better of a tame opening half. Adam's free-kick from the left fizzed across goal and Burgess only just failed to get a touch on to the ball to send it in.

The final chance of the half came Thompson's way in first half stoppage time but his strike, after McCann's corner, was well saved by Gilks.

To get back into the game United needed to start the second half much better, and they duly did, as McCann was tripped in the area by Ian Evatt.

The Northern ireland international duly stepped up to send Gilks, who dived down to his right, the wrong way for his eighth goal of the season.

The goal brought a shift in the pattern of play as Scunthorpe started to become more in the game as an attacking force.

McDermott came on for Woolford and it gave the hosts more freshness going forward.

Shortly after, from a dead ball scenario, Hayes put a cross into the box. Gilks came out to catch it, but dropped it even though he was under no pressure from United. Like vultures, the Iron's players quickly horde towards the ball, but Gilks was redeemed by pouncing on it at second attempt.

Blackpool had plenty of quality on the break though, as Evatt headed wide from Adam's free-kick.

Soon after, former Swansea man Stephen Dobbie's effort flew across the face of goal with the hosts breathing a large sigh of relief.

Taylor-Fletcher then spurned a great chance to put the visitors ahead in the 73rd minute as Murphy saved his side with a great stop.

With 14 minutes to go, Blackpool went ahead again as Coleman smacked the ball past Murphy after dancing past three challenges. It was a poor goal to concede, and Murphy was going ballistic at his defence after that one.

Shortly after, Hooper came on for Sparrow as Scunthorpe seeked some fresh momentum going forward, but they were struggling to create anything of note.

Blackpool clinched the game with eight minutes left as substitute Campbell as a cross to the back post reached the striker, who headed across Murphy and into the far corner

Then, just two minutes later, Adam successfully took on three players and dribbled into the area. Murphy saved his shot but the ball stopped dead behind him for Campbell to strike in his second of the day.

There was time for Hooper to pull a goal back as Thompson sped down the right and sent the ball across the face of goal for the ex-Southend man to turn home.

Togwell was replaced by Josh Wright straight after but, with five minutes of added time thrown into the equation too, the hosts struggled to create any further chances.

The Seasiders had better quality on the day and were the better team against a side which struggled defensively towards the end.

The Iron are next in action on Easter Monday when they visit high-flying Swansea City.

Attendance: 7,508 (1,323 away).