The Iron Vault: League Hat-trick Heroes #35

At the time of writing, there have been 41 trebles netted by United players in league games and we're going to delve into the Iron Vault to remember them and, if applicable, following the subsequent career of the player who scored it.

The Iron's very first hat-trick as a league side came in their 11th game in Division Three North as Ted Gorin bagged all three strikes in a home win against Accrington Stanley.

For this issue though, we fast-forward to 2003 and league hat-trick number 35, with Steve MacLean notching thrice in a convincing 5-2 home win over Cheltenham Town.

There were 59 minutes between the Loan Rangers' three goals, but the dominance of the Iron's display throughout saw them clinch all three points in what would be the first of three trebles for the striker in that season.

OUTPLAYING THE ROBINS...

Scunthorpe outplayed Cheltenham in almost every department and thoroughly deserved their crushing victory.

Striker Steve MacLean, on loan from Rangers, gave the side a 21st minute lead after United dictated the early stages of the encounter. On 27 minutes, it was 2-0 when Beagrie hammered home a left-foot shot to put Brian Laws' team two up.

A player who would play for the Iron in the years to come, Grant McCann, would twice go close to reducing the arrears for Cheltenham before Bob Taylor made it 2-1 just before the half-time interval to give the visitors some momentum going into the second half.

THE END OF A GOAL DROUGHT, BUT NOT A COMEBACK

That Taylor goal was the end of a drought for the Robins, who netted for the first time in almost four games, and could have sparked the start of a comeback for the side who were struggling towards the bottom of the table.

However, it was the Iron who regrouped at half-time and came out fighting in the second half, with the two-goal deficit restored just eight minutes into the second half. Sam Russell's long ball upfield was flicked on by the head of Torpey for MacLean to strike a superb effort beyond Shane Higgs.

MacLean completed his hat-trick with an 80th-minute penalty and then strike-partner Torpey headed home the fifth to complete a five-star attacking display for the Iron.

McCann grabbed his and Cheltenham's second in the 88th minute when he struck home a penalty of his own.