Scunthorpe United secured a first win in ten games as they overcome a feeble Fulham side at Glanford Park this afternoon.
This much-needed victory under a run of three home defeats in a row to make the bottom of the Third Division table look a little rosier for caretaker manager Mick Buxton. Scunthorpe were combative and determined from the first whistle, with Alan Knill putting the hosts on the route to a win with his first goal of the season before second half strikes from Tony Ford and David D’Auria sealed the points. Fulham did get a 90th minute consolation from the penalty through Mark Blake, but it was all the Londoners deserved for another dreadful display.
Scunthorpe were forced into an early reshuffle at the back with Michael Walsh suffering a knee injury and having to be replaced by Steve Housham. While United were temporarily down to ten men, Fulham should have taken the lead but Mike Conroy sent a close range header agonisingly wide. The home side soon got going with Ford forcing a fine save from Tony Lange before taking the lead just after the half hour mark. Ford’s corner found Knill at the near post, with the defender outjumping Fulham’s rearguard to put Scunthorpe ahead.
It was Scunthorpe who continued to make the running after the interval with John Eyre shooting wastefully over after being released by a fine ball from the back by Chris Hope. Eyre put things right within three minutes, supplying a superb cross to find Ford at the far post, who simply couldn’t miss from close range.
Young goalkeeper Gary Germaine made excellent saves to keep out a powerful drive from substitute Paul Brooker and then thwarted Rob Scott with cat-like reflexes as Fulham pushed for a route back into the contest. Micky Adams’ men were hit on the break as Eyre played D’Auria through and the man who scored a superb opener at Craven Cottage earlier this season lifted a lovely finish over the stranded Lange to make it 3-0.
Fulham’s late consolation came after right back Duncan Jupp was felled in the box and centre back Mark Blake made no mistake with the spot-kick, but this was hardly the way the Whites wanted to bounce back from a dismal defeat at home to Cambridge United last weekend.
SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Germaine; Hope, Walsh (Housham 10), Ford, Knill, Bradley, Turnbull, D’Auria, McFarlane, Eyre, Clarkson. Subs (not used): Nicholson, Samways.
BOOKED: Bradley, Housham.
GOALS: Knill (32), Ford (51), D’Auria (69).
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Morgan, Angus, Blake, Brooker, Cusack, Bolt (Thomas 59), Conroy, Scott. Subs (not used): Marshall, Barkus.
BOOKED: Morgan.
GOAL: Blake (pen 90).
REFEREE: Steve Baines (Chesterfield).
ATTENDANCE: 1,919.
