Following a midweek defeat in the National League Cup the Iron would look to make a strong return to league action when they welcomed their longest visit of the season from strugglers Truro City.
Still unbeaten coming into the encounter, United would be made to battle in this particular fixture with several injuries keeping key players on the sidelines.
Following the Iron's 1-1 draw with Forest Green Rovers last weekend, Andy Butler would make two forced alterations to his starting XI. Firstly, with Danny Whitehall narrowly missing out on a start due to a knock he would be replaced by Joey Dawson who was inducted for his first league season. Elsewhere, with Joe Starbuck returning from suspension he would be the prime candidate to replace the injured Andrew Boyce.
After a slow start to the encounter at the Attis Arena with both sides cautiously attempting to figure one another out, the Iron would gradually start to take charge proceedings as expected with a number of fluid attacks.
The first chance of the game would come just shy of the 10-minute mark when a marauding run forward from Declan Howe carved open the Tinner's defensive line. With the ball in his stride and space to run into, Howe would cut inside onto his stronger right foot and ark an effort towards the top corner that narrowly avoided the upright of Aiden Stone’s goal.
In response to this chance Truro would create their first opportunity of the game when Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain was threaded into the Scunthorpe area down the right-hand side. After seeing his initial effort smash Tyler Denton right where it hurts, Oxlade-Chamberlain would see his second attempt soar marginally over the crossbar despite not worrying goalkeeper Rory Watson.
With the Iron still on top in proceedings they would act on their dominance with the game’s opening goal through the incredibly impressive Dawson. Receiving his ball with his back to goal, the former Celtic man spun his marker with relative ease before lashing an effort at Stone who could only watch as the ball crashed off the post before finding the back of the net, giving Dawson his first league goal for United.
As the half progressed the fixture continued to descend into one way traffic with Scunthorpe running rampant all over the Tinners' back line. After winning a free kick in a promising area, Roberts would stand over the set-piece with the confidence to try his luck from range. As he strolled up to whip the ball around the wall, Roberts would send his effort spiralling towards the bottom corner, only for it nestle on the wrong side of the side netting.
With this the first half would come to its end with the Iron in complete control of the fixture, something Butler’s boys were looking to continue going into the second period.
When the teams emerged from the dressing room proceedings would resume in a similar manner as the first with United firmly on top. Scunthorpe would even create a golden chance to double their lead within a matter of moments, with Dawson linking up neatly to release substitute Tyrell Sellars-Fleming into the penalty area leaving him with just Stone to beat, however the former Notts County goalkeeper would produce a sublime reaction stop to deny Sellars-Fleming a league debut goal in his second spell for the club.
Despite this opportunity going to waste the Iron wouldn’t take long to double their advantage with Dawson again at the heart of the move. After a deep cross to the back post from Tyler Denton found the disguised run of Dawson at the back post, he would delicately nod the ball back across the face of goal for Howe who was never in doubt to smash the ball beneath Stone for 2-0.
With half an hour remaining there was no sign of Scunthorpe taking their foot off the gas with Sellars-Fleming looking very impressive. This time it was Roberts who set up the young Hull City loanee with a pinpoint cross into the danger area, under pressure from a defender who had a handful of his shirt all that the forward could do was attempt an acrobatic effort that drew a sensational stop from Stone to deny United of a third.
As the half progressed, the Tinners would create a positive chance of their own when a cross into the box rebounded back into the feet of a Truro player who looked to sting an effort on goal with Watson scrambling to prepare himself. This would allow the Scunthorpe keeper to get back in time to make a routine stop to protect his clean sheet.
The next action in the game would be the third goal that Scunthorpe desired through firstly midfielder Alfie Beestin and then substitute Billy Chadwick. After providing a swift one-two to get the ball back off Sellars-Fleming, Beestin would raise his head from 20 yards looking to drive the ball on target which he did brilliantly as his effort deflected off the back of the unassuming Chadwick and bounced beyond Stone.
With the game coming to an end the visitors were flooding forward looking for any sort of consolation from the game, this would leave their defence open for United to add a fourth on the counter. With another cross into the box finding the run of Sellars-Fleming in the penalty area the forward would provide a flick past Stone that crashed against the crossbar, this would fall back into the path of the substitute Whitehall who was left with a relatively straight forward finish to end his cameo appearance with a goal.
For the remainder of the fixture Scunthorpe would battle hard to keep hold of their first official clean sheet of the season which they would see out in spirited fashion, chasing down every loose ball until the final whistle, capping off a fabulous team performance and three points for the in-form Iron.
IRON: Watson, Evans, Howe (Chadwick, 69'), Beestin, Roberts (Ubaezuonu, 78'), Rowley, Ewing (Sellars-Fleming, 45'), Dawson (Whitehall, 69' (Beck, 87'), Scales, Starbuck, Denton.
IRON UNUSED SUBS: Johnson, Gjoshe.
ATTENDANCE: 4,295 (61 away)
REFEREE: Neil Hair
