Scunthorpe United FC

United made it back-to-back League One victories, with an emphatic 4-2 victory over Oldham Athletic at sportsdirect.com park on Saturday.

Substitute Kevin van Veen stole the show with a fabulous individual goal to seal the points, five minutes from time.

There was one change from last weekend's victory over Fleetwood Town, as Tom Hopper came in for Joe Lolley. As for the rest of the eleven, things remained unchanged, with Luke Daniels in goal, and a back four of Scott Wiseman, David Mirfin, Murray Wallace and Scott Laird.

There was a midfield two of Neal Bishop and stand-in captain Jack King, with an attacking trio of Gary McSheffrey, Tom Hopper and Tommy Rowe providing support to Paddy Madden.

It was the Iron who made the better start, and eight minutes in, they almost took the lead. McSheffrey got to the left-hand byline and pulled the ball back for Hopper, who met the cross superbly on the volley, only to be denied by a brilliant reflex stop from Latics 'keeper David Cornell.

However, two minutes later, Mark Robins' side did take a deserved lead. After Oldham full-back Connor Brown was dispossessed on half-way, Madden broke quickly and slipped McSheffrey in, who was ice-cool and slotted the ball underneath the out-rushing Cornell to put United one up.

The Iron were in the ascendancy and could have doubled their lead almost immediately, and would have done if not for Cornell in the Oldham goal. Wallace climbed brilliantly to meet a McSheffrey free-kick, but Cornell showed sharp reactions to repel his downward header.

But despite all their early dominance, United found themselves being pegged back 15 minutes after going ahead, as Latics captain Liam Kelly poked home from close range, after a penalty box scramble.

Things then took another turn for the worse moments later, as Dominic Poleon, much like Kelly before him, was on hand to tap home from close range after a ricochet in the penalty area. The Iron players felt a little aggrieved as Poleon looked to be stood in an offside position as he finished.

United were keen to respond quickly though and McSheffrey almost drew the sides level once more, but he could only sting the palms of Cornell from 20 yards out, before Madden followed up with a low drive.

The Iron continued to press for an equaliser, and they got back in the game ten minutes after going behind, thanks to a brilliant solo effort from loanee Rowe. The midfielder turned his man inside-out on the edge of the box, before chipping Cornell with a deflected effort.

After getting back level, Robins' men then pushed for the lead before the half-time, and almost got it when King headed goalwards. But, despite making room for himself in the box, he could only direct McSheffrey's cross into the grateful arms of Latics stopper Cornell.

The sides went in level at the break though, after an action-packed opening period.

After a labored start to the second period from both sides, it was the hosts who registered the first attempt after the restart. Mike Jones picked the ball up from around 25 yards out, and hit a fierce strike, which Daniels had to get down smartly to stop.

The Iron burst into life 20 minutes before the full-time whistle with a fabulous breakaway goal. King superbly found Bishop with an exquisite pass, who then in-turn found Hopper and it looked for all the world that the attacker would head home from close range, but he was brilliantly denied by Cornell. The chance looked to have gone, however Madden had other ideas, as he smashed home from twelve yards.

Hopper was then replaced with fifteen minutes to go, with Dutchman van Veen coming on in his place.

Latics boss David Dunn then opted for the bold move of bringing himself onto the pitch as a substitute. The player/manager then nearly had an instant impact, striking just over from the edge of the box.

Substitute van Veen then put the game to bed, with an outstanding solo goal on 84 minutes. The Dutchman firstly beat two Latics defenders on the edge of the box, before nutmegging a third. He then finished spectacularly by chipping Cornell from six yards out.

It could have been five soon after, when Madden robbed Oldham left-back Daniel Lafferty on the edge of the area, but despite having a clear sight of goal, the Irishman could only strike the ball straight at the hosts' 'keeper.

Robins' side would have to settle for four though, on a brilliant afternoon on the road. It's now back-to-back wins for the Iron, who next face Shrewsbury at Glanford Park.

TEAM LINE-UPS
Oldham Athletic: Cornell, Brown, Wilson, Kelly, Croft (Yeates 55), Jones, Poleon, Philliskirk (Dunn 75), Burn, Higdon, Lafferty.
Substitutes not used: Coleman, Dieng, Winchester, Wilson, Eckersley.

Scunthorpe United: Daniels, Wiseman, Laird, Mirfin, Madden, Bishop, King, Rowe, Hopper (van Veen 76), Wallace, McSheffrey (McAllister 71).
Substitutes not used: Anyon, Henderson, Lolley, Goode, Clarke.

Attendance: 4,002 (349 away).

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