SCUNTHORPE UNITED 2 SOUTHPORT 0

By Chris Sumpter

STAR MAN: Michael Clunan (Scunthorpe)

ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ ·

FIRST-HALF goals from Kian Scales and Carlton Ubaezuonu kept Scunthorpe in pole position for promotion as they brushed aside managerless Southport.

And the margin of what was the Iron’s ninth victory in ten matches at home would have been even greater but for a string of fine saves by Sandgrounders goalkeeper Chris Renshaw.

“Overall I think we looked comfortable. It wasn’t exciting, but it was professional I never really felt in any danger,” Iron boss Andy Butler said. “I think if we’d had to raise the level we could have done.”

It took Scunthorpe 12 minutes to break the deadlock when Callum Roberts played in Scales, who cut back before firing into the far corner.

Seven minutes before half-time they doubled their lead on the back of another error, with two visiting players leaving Joe Rowley’s low cross and Ubaezuonu making the most of an almost open goal.

From then on the Iron dominated. Roberts hit the bar direct from a corner and the offside flag denied Ubaezuonu his second of the game after he had curled a lovely shot into the top corner.

Mo Fadera could have had have had a hat-trick but was denied by three good saves by Renshaw, and the woodwork also came to Southport’s rescue to deny the on-loan York winger.