Caolan Lavery gave United the lead but a controversial red card decision involving Joe Nuttall ultimately led to the Iron being beaten 3-1 at Wealdstone on Saturday.

Scunthorpe made one change going into the game, as Nuttall returned from suspension to replace Rob Apter, who'd been carrying a knock this week.

With two minutes gone, Lavery shrugged off a defender to chase a ball to him on the left. It culminated in Jacob Butterfield floating a ball in for Nuttall, with the Iron forward just missing the delivery as it skipped off the surface and out for a goal kick.

Then, Dan Gallimore intercepted and sent Marcus Carver down the right, driving half the length of the pitch before winning an attacking throw.

From the resultant throw, the Iron squeezed in a delivery, Nuttall rose highest and powered a header towards goal from around 15 yards out. The effort was blocked by Wealdstone skipper Jack Cook though.

With six minutes played, Carver almost seized on a loose ball from Cook’s miscued back header, but Miguel Freckleton was alert and managed to gather and clear.

A minute later, Tom Pugh and Carver combined down the right before teeing up Gallimore. His first-time cross into the area was well dealt with by home goalkeeper Samuel Howes.

The eighth minute saw the first effort of the game for Wealdstone as the ball was played forward for Max Krertzschmar, who took a first touch onto his left foot before sending an effort sailing over the bar from 20-yards.

The Iron pressed high and forced a mistake on 10 minutes, resulting in the first corner of the game. Andrew Boyce recycled the corner and looped in a delivery. Nuttall shrugged off his man before crashing a half-volley wide of the target, but he was penalised for a foul in the meantime.

Then, three minutes later, at the other end, Kretzschmar headed wide of the target for the hosts following a right-winged cross from Micah Obiero.

In the 16th minute, Wealdstone played a corner short before a low delivery into the box. The goalbound shot was deflected wide for a corner, which was later headed away by Nuttall.

The Iron took the lead with 20 minutes played as the hosts failed to clear their lines on the right, Pugh was able to bring the ball down and turn. He then threaded the ball through for Lavery, who latched onto the pass inside the box and coolly drilled the ball into the net for his third Iron goal.

However, just there minutes later, there was a penalty for Wealdstone. The hosts levelled as Kretzchmar slotted the spot-kick straight down the middle. A decision to look back on though, as George Taft looked to have clearly played the ball.

Four minutes later, former Iron forward Olufela Olomola headed the ball wide of the target following a cross from the left channel.

On 29 minutes, there was neat build-up from the Iron down the right, which first involved Dan Gallimore and Pugh, along with Butterfield. He provided the pass between the lines for Carver who slotted a ball to the edge for Nuttall. He fired over though.

After a strong of corners for the hosts, on 40 minutes, Carver headed a set-play away before the following delivery into the box from the left was headed wide by Kretzschmar.

Then, in the 36th minute, Dewhurst covered his goal as Charles whipped a free-kick in towards goal from a wide angle. The effort sailed across goal and wide.

Five minutes later, the Iron won a corner down the right, with Nuttall sending a header wide from the set-piece.

With 44 minutes gone, Nuttall went in for a loose ball with the home goalkeeper after neat play from the Iron. It sparked a reaction from the home support. The referee consulted the assistant, and Nuttall was shown a straight red card, for challenging for the ball on the ground.

Early in the second period, Dewhurst denied Kretzschmar with an early effort from the edge of the box which took a slight deflection from Boyce.

Then, on the left side, Lewis Kinsella latched onto a cleared cross to lash an effort wide with his left boot from 18-yards. Pugh was chasing him down and did well to put him off, throwing his body in the way.

In the 54th minute, the hosts won a corner which Olomola headed over the crossbar.

Two minutes after, there was superb combination play from Pugh and Carver, which started at the edge of the Iron’s box. Both interchanged from box-to-box before the hosts just managed to thwart Carver from shooting.

Soon after, Freckleton took aim from range, drilling his effort across goal and wide of the target.

There was a Scunthorpe change on the hour mark, as Carver was replaced by Apter.

Soon after, there was a corner to the Iron as Pugh and Butterfield fed Lavery. He spread play to Apter who saw his effort deflected behind.

On 63 minutes, Beestin had a shot blocked in amongst the Iron’s attack, but the hosts then broke with O’Malley clearing one dangerous ball before Olomola saw a low drive deflected behind for a Wealdstone corner.

They soon took the lead though, as Micah Obiero controlled a loose ball in the area before volleying emphatically into the top corner.

Then, on 70 minutes, Olomola headed in from close range as the hosts squeezed in a cross from the left.

There was a Scunthorpe change straight after, with Colin Daniel replacing Lavery.

On 80 minutes, Butterfield came close to pulling one back, working space around the edge of the area, before pulling the trigger and firing low, across goal, but wide.

Straight after, he had another go after receiving the ball again, but his effort was blocked by a home defender.

In the 83rd minute, Jai Rowe come on for Beestin in the final Iron change,

Soon after, Olomola was played in down the left of the Iron area and tried to clip an effort past Dewhurst, but the United goalkeeper was equal to it.

Then, a home player headed over the bar following a cross from the left. Simeon Akinola also came close at the death, with his shot from inside the area blocked by O'Malley as he looked to add a fourth.

Daniel brought the ball down and fired goalwards for a late Iron opportunity, but Howes got down to save.

Scunthorpe return to action next Saturday when they host Notts County (12.30pm kick-off).

WEALDSTONE: Howes, Cook, Kinsella, Charles, Freckleton, Allarakhia, Olomola, Obiero (Akinola, 68), Dyer (McGregor, 68), Kretzchmar (Ferguson, 77), Barker.

SUBS NOT USED: Barrett, Mundle-Smith.

IRON: Dewhurst, O'Malley, Boyce, Beestin (Rowe, 85), Nuttall, Carver (Apter, 60), Lavery (Daniel, 71), Taft, Butterfield, Gallimore, Pugh.

SUBS NOT USED: Foster, Young.

ATTENDANCE: 1,460.