SCUNTHORPE UNITED LONDON AND SOUTH EAST SUPPORTERS CLUB

Swindon Town v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Football League One

Swindon Town4 (0)Scunthorpe United2 (2)

Timlin 62, Wright 71 og, Robson-Kanu 82, Peacock 85

Hooper 26, Lansbury 39

Swindon Town :
Brezovan, Jack Smith, Vincent, Ifil, Jean-Francois (Morrison 46), Amankwaah (McNamee 52), Timlin, Kanyuka, Robson-Kanu, Paynter (Peacock 66), Cox.
Subs not used:
Phil Smith, Allen.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne, Mirfin, Pearce, Wright, Sparrow, McCann, Togwell, Lansbury (Thompson 58), Hurst (Woolford 58), Hooper (Hayes 65).
Subs not used:
Lillis, Morris.

OPPOSITION VIEW

LATE goals, defensive howlers and missed penalties - Town have been on the wrong end of some bad luck this season.

But on Saturday, they were given a huge helping hand towards League One safety with three crucial points at the expense of Scunthorpe.

The assistance came not just from referee Christopher Sarginson, who sent off Iron duo Cliff Byrne and David Mirfin before the game reached the hour mark, but also from a visiting side whose ill-discipline and lack of ambition cost them dear.

Before the pair were given their marching orders, Scunthorpe had stunned the County Ground faithful by opening up a two-goal lead at the break through Gary Hooper and Henri Lansbury.

However, with the numbers in their favour, Swindon roared back with strikes from Michael Timlin, an Andrew Wright own goal, Hal Robson-Kanu and Lee Peacock.

Timlin admitted Town rode their luck, but it was a welcome change for the midfield man.

"Those things happen in games and sometimes things go for you, sometimes it doesn't," he said. "But it just feels like quite a bit of luck is starting to go our way, whereas in the past it wasn't.

"A bit of luck went our way with the sendings off but it was up to us to capitalise on it and we did that."

Town should have been ahead inside four minutes as Simon Cox's point-blank header was brilliantly blocked by Scunthorpe 'keeper Joe Murphy. Then, as the ball was only cleared as far as the edge of the area, Timlin struck a superb drive which crashed against the underside of the crossbar, down over the goalline and back out, with neither referee or assistant awarding the goal.

The Iron slowly came into the game and opened the scoring when Hooper prodded home a near post corner from just a yard out, and they doubled their advantage through Arsenal loanee Lansbury.

The 18-year-old produced a sublime touch on the edge of the area to flick the ball past Jamie Vincent and Jack Smith, before slotting it past the helpless Peter Brezovan.

However, things started to go downhill for Scunthorpe straight after the restart. First, captain Byrne received his second booking for a foul on Timlin, and then on 60 minutes Mirfin followed him for an early bath after bringing down Cox.

Timlin finally got his goal minutes later to reduce the arrears before Wright headed past his own 'keeper to level things up.

And with the visitors playing a 4-4-0 formation and trying everything they could to run the clock down, it was only a matter of time before Town capitalised.

First Robson-Kanu drilled in his first Swindon goal from close range before Peacock bundled one past Murphy almost immediately after.