An outstanding team performance by the Iron saw them emerge 2-1 victors against Crawley Town at the Sands Venue Stadium on Saturday.

The Iron had a good chance six minutes in, with the home side launching a counter-attack which led to Ross Millen striking the ball on the half volley but the attempt spun up and away from goal.

Rory Watson was called into action 15 minutes in when Jack Payne launched a long range effort, with Watson making an outstanding save pushing it out for a corner.

From the ensuing set-play, Watson made a superb stop to keep the away side at bay when a header was aimed towards the bottom corner, but the Scunthorpe No.1 quickly reacted and dived low to the ground, saving the shot.

Jake Scrimshaw gave the home side another opportunity when he rocketed a shot at goal but couldn’t keep it down and went out for a goal-kick.

Ryan Loft put the ball in the back of the net soon after. However, he was deemed to be in an offside position.

Loft had another brilliant chance moments later when his curling effort just rose above the bar.

The Iron took the lead 32 minutes in after Millen provided a low-driven cross into the centre of the box with talisman Ryan Loft meeting the ball and putting it past Crawley keeper Glenn Morris, although there were suggestions of an own goal, giving the home side a 1-0 lead.

Six minutes before the break, Hayden Hackney tried his luck on goal after curling a long range effort on goal, forcing Morris to make a diving save.

Loft again showed his presence in the box with another chance, when his header just went over the bar.

Crawley had a chance fly over the bar moments before half-time, after Scunthorpe cleared the ball but it only reached the edge of the box and was picked up by Joel Lynch, who couldn’t keep it down as it went high over the bar.

With the second half well under way, Scunthorpe kept mounting pressure on Crawley who ultimately gave in when Loft worked his way through the Crawley defence with his quick feet and flicked it through to Scrimshaw, who elegantly took the ball round the keeper and placed it into the net.

It was his second goal for Scunthorpe and came shortly after he had been thwarted by the away goalkeeper.

With 60 minutes played, the home side made a double substitution with Harry Bunn and Alfie Beestin being the fresh legs and replaced Hippolyte and Hackney.

Moments after coming on, Harry Bunn found his way into the game with a chance on goal which curled over the bar and out for a goal-kick.

Crawley lashed a shot on goal through Powell but the ball kept pulling away from goal.

Moments later, Crawley got a goal back after Kwesi Appiah’s header crept into the net.

10 minutes before full-time the home side made their final substitution with Loft being replaced by Aaron Jarvis.

Scunthorpe again had another chance when Beestin’s well-hit shot took a slight deflection as it entered the box, giving Morris more to deal with as he parried it out for a corner.

IRON: Watson, Taft, Onariase, Thompson, Loft (Jarvis, 80), Millen, Hippolyte (Beestin, 60), Rowe, Scrimshaw, Pugh, Hackney (Bunn, 60).

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Collins, Green, O’Neill, Wood.

CRAWLEY: Morris, Francomb (Ferry, 84), Craig, Powell, Nichols (Rodari, 60), Appiah, Tsaroulla, Payne, Bansal-McNulty (Ashford, 60), Lynch, Hessenthaler.

CRAWLEY SUBS NOT USED: Henry, Davies, Francillette.

ATTENDANCE: 2,112.