The Iron were defeated 2-1 by AFC Wimbledon at Glanford Park in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon.
Despite Lee Novak’s second half goal and a penalty save from Jak Alnwick, a brace from James Hanson inside the opening exchanges secured Wimbledon all three points.
Caretaker manager Andy Dawson made four changes to the team that were defeated by Rochdale last weekend. Tom Pearce and George Thomas both returned from international duty and replaced Harrison McGahey and Jordan Hallam in the starting eleven. Elsewhere, Byron Webster and Kevin van Veen came into the side for Rory McArdle and Kyle Wootton.
The Iron made a bright start and had the first opportunity of the game inside five minutes through van Veen. The Dutchman made a promising run down the left channel and cut the ball back onto his right-foot, but his shot across goal sailed over the bar.
Shortly after, Thomas headed a Pearce cross wide, before Wimbledon were awarded a penalty when Jak Alnwick was adjudged to have brought down James Hanson in the area.
Joe Pigott stood over the kick. However, Alnwick guessed the right way and dived low to his right to keep the scoreline level.
Hanson – who won the penalty, then put the Dons ahead after 23 minutes when he latched onto an Anthony Wordsworth free-kick and headed into the far corner of the net.
The Iron then surged forward in search of an equaliser. Funso Ojo and Thomas linked up well, before the latter charged into the box and pulled the ball towards the back post, however nobody could get on the end of it.
Then, In the next attack, Wimbledon doubled their advantage. Hanson again was the man on the scoresheet, as he netted his second of the game with a drilled finish into the bottom left corner.
With ten minutes to go before the break, Novak had an opportunity for United at the near post, but Aaron Ramsdale was out quickly to claim.
The fourth official signalled for two additional minutes at the end of the first half, but no more chances were created and Wimbledon went into the interval preserving their 2-0 lead.
During half-time, the Iron made a substitution, as Adam Hammill came onto the pitch in place of Levi Sutton.
As the second period got underway, Pigott raced forward and went down under a challenge from Cameron Burgess in the area. However, referee Matthew Donohue waved away the appeal.
Ten minutes after the restart, Ojo lined up a shot from distance and tried to curl his effort into the top right corner, but the ball went wide of the target.
On 58 minutes, McMahon’s cross caused problems for the Wimbledon defence, as Ramsdale failed to collect the ball. That allowed van Veen to cushion for Hammill at the back post, however he shot wide.
Seconds later, Novak connected with another McMahon cross. He leaped above his marker and headed towards goal, but his effort took a deflection and dropped past the post.
As the clock struck past an hour played, Hammill gathered possession on the left-hand side after Wimbledon only half cleared. The winger looked to curl the ball back into the area, but his cross evaded everybody.
Kyle Wootton then had another chance for the Iron. He played a quick one-two with Thomas, who laid the ball back into the striker’s path, however his shot at the near post was saved by Ramsdale.
With 15 minutes left to play, Novak had a great opportunity to pull a goal back. The centre forward found space in the area but headed McMahon’s right-wing cross over the bar.
However, Novak soon slotted the ball into the back of the net on the 78 minute mark, after Hammill’s initial shot was spilled by Ramsdale.
The Iron then had a succession of corners inside the last ten minutes, but they couldn’t quite forge an opening.
After the 90 minutes were up, there were another four minutes to be played at the end of the game, however, United couldn’t find an equaliser.
TEAM LINE-UPS:
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick, McMahon, Webster, Ojo, van Veen (Wootton, 59), Perch, Pearce, Novak, Thomas (Hallam, 73), Burgess, Sutton (Hammill, 45).
Substitutes not used: Flatt, Lewis, McArdle, Butroid.
AFC Wimbledon: Ramsdale, Nightingale, Hartigan, Seddon, Hanson (Appiah, 68), Sibbick, McDonald, Kalambayi, McLaughlin (Wagstaff, 68), Pigott (Pinnock, 80), Wordsworth.
Substitutes not used: McDonnell, Thomas, Connolly, Folivi.
Referee: Matthew Donohue.
Attendance: 3,955.