United began the month with a routine 2-0 home victory over Cheltenham Town which extended their unbeaten run to six games.
They were brought back down to earth in their very next match a fortnight later however, when Exeter City stunned Glanford Park by storming to a 4-0 win over United.The Iron responded impressively with successive 1-0 victories over Fleetwood Town and Hartlepool United ahead of a rearranged trip to face York City at Bootham Crescent.
Much like against Exeter, it all went wrong for United as they found themselves 3-0 down after just 20 minutes, before the home side added a fourth ahead of the interval.
A Sam Winnall strike early in the second half raised hopes of an unlikely comeback, but it was to prove merely a consolation as his side fell to a convincing 4-1 defeat to end the month in 9th place.
Game of the Month: Fleetwood Town 0-1 Scunthorpe United
Although not necessarily seen that way at the time, United’s victory over high-flying Fleetwood would prove to be invaluable as the season bore out.
The home side had enjoyed the better of the opportunities early on, with Jeff Hughes denied an opener by the frame of the goal.
Iron goalkeeper Sam Slocombe also played his part in keeping the Cod Army out, denying Hughes with a characteristically fine save.
United were to take advantage of Town’s profligacy just shy of the hour-mark, when Sam Winnall pounced on hesitant defending to lash a deflected effort past goalkeeper Scott Davies.
Deon Burton came close to making the result more assured, but despite his curled effort going off-target the Iron held on to win and move within two points of their opponents with a game in hand.
Goal of the Month: Sam Winnall (vs Hartlepool)
In a month where the Iron found the back of the net of five occasions, it was Sam Winnall’s match-winner against Hartlepool United at Glanford Park which took the award for October.
With Hartlepool having won each of their last five going into the game, United found themselves up against a confident side determined to maintain their impressive form.
For much of the contest there was little to choose between the two sides, until a 76th minute slip from visiting defender Christian Burgess presented Winnall with the opportunity to bare down on goal.
Having raced onto the ball, the former Wolves academy product then displayed the composure necessary to steady himself before coolly clipping around grounded goalkeeper Scott Flinders from just inside the area.
That goal proved enough to secure a 1-0 victory for United, with Winnall’s clinical finishing ensuring the Iron took a valuable three points.