Graham Alexander enjoyed a marvellous first home game in charge of the Iron, as he saw his side demolish Swindon Town 6-0 at Glanford Park.
After a relatively quiet opening first period, the hosts created chances at will in the second and looked like scoring every time they ventured into the visitors’ half.There were two changes to the United side which was held to a goalless draw by Barnsley on Good Friday, with Hakeeb Adelakun and Neal Bishop coming into the starting eleven in place of Stephen Dawson and Jim O’Brien.
Luke Daniels was the Iron’s man between the sticks and the back four was unchanged once more, as Jordan Clarke, Murray Wallace, David Mirfin and Conor Townsend retained their places. In midfield, Adelakun and Bishop joined Scotsman Jamie Ness, and in attack Luke Williams, Tom Hopper and Paddy Madden led the line.
Things got off to promising start for the home side, with Williams twisting and turning on the edge of the area, before pulling his shot wide, three minutes in.
Alexander’s men kept the pressure on, and forced another opening shortly after, when the ball fell to Ness following a corner. The midfielder sent his effort towards to the top left corner, but he had to watch the strike rise just over Tyrell Belford’s goal.
The visitors created an opening of their own, mid-way through the half, courtesy of Fabian Robert. After making a surge down the right hand side, the Frenchman drilled the ball across the face of goal. His delivery was just out of the reach of Nicky Ajose though, who couldn’t stretch to poke home.
Chances were proving few and far between, but 26 minutes into proceedings, Townsend put the Iron ahead. The full-back made a burst into the area and latched onto Williams’ expertly weighted through ball to then hook a left footed effort into the bottom right corner of the goal.
United were keen to press home their advantage following Townsend’s opener. Madden’s harassing meant he could fashion an opportunity for Williams. However, after the Irishman had slipped him in, the 22-year-old could only sting the palms of Belford.
It looked as though the Iron would only take a one goal lead into the break, but in bizarre fashion it was extended by Clarke. There looked to be no danger for the Robins until the defender seemed to overhit his cross. A cross which deceived Belford and ended up in the back of the net.
Immediately after the game’s resumption, Adelakun put matters to bed with a calm and collected finish from inside the area. Ness was the creator, sliding the ball through to United number 16, who slotted home.
It was wave after wave of Scunthorpe attacks and soon, three became four. Hopper stole the ball off the Swindon back four and raced through on goal ahead of confidently dispatching past Belford into the far corner.
Alexander’s side weren’t finished there, as minutes later, Madden got his 21st of the season. The striker broke the offside trap and then took Adelakun’s pass in his stride, before poking the ball under Belford and into the back of the net.
Hopper almost added a sixth for the Iron and a second for himself, rising highest in the box from a floated free kick. Despite the time the attacker had, he only managed to place his header fractionally over the crossbar.
It wasn’t long before Hopper did double his tally and he did so with a well placed back post header. Mirfin was the instigator and after staying in the opposing penalty box following a corner, the defender stood the ball up for Hopper, whose header wriggled it’s way under Belford in the Swindon goal.
The efforts were raining down on the Robins’ goal, with Madden keen to follow in Hopper’s footsteps, and make it a brace. He was found unmarked in the box by Adelakun, and subsequently tested Belford with a rasping drive.
Openings kept on presenting themselves as the clock ticked towards full time, but Eddie Ilderton brought proceedings to an end and in doing so ended a spectacular afternoon for Alexander and his players.
TEAM LINE-UPS
Scunthorpe United: Daniels, Clarke, Wallace, Mirfin, Townsend, Adelakun, Bishop, Ness (King 71), Williams (Sutton 88), Hopper (Wootton 88), Madden.
Substitutes not used: Anyon, Laird, Goode, Vose.
Swindon Town: Belford, Robert (Cooke 77), Turnbull, Traore, Ajose, Brophy, Thompson, Hylton (Iandolo 46), Barry, Rossi-Branco, Doughty.
Substitutes not used: Henry, Ormonde-Ottewill, Marshall, Rodgers.
Attendance: 3,534.
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