|
City have now lost four in a row at home and the Minstermen are now facing the real prospect of a fight against relegation unless they record a victory soon.
Lee Bullock, making his farewell City appearance before his move to Cardiff City, almost helped the Minstermen to the perfect start. On two minutes he flicked Stuart Wise's free kick into the path of Lee Nogan who managed to flick the ball over the advancing keeper only for Wayne Graves to acrobatically clear off the line.
United went ahead on seventeen minutes with their first chance of the game. Kevin Sharp's inswinging corner was headed home powerfully by loanee Paul Groves from six yards out.
Neither side created many chances in the opening period but young City defender Shaun Davies got forward to hit Darren Edmondson's raking cross goalwards but Tom Evans saved well.
The Iron doubled their lead on 33 minutes. City keeper Mark Ovendale came well off his line hoping to gather Lee Ridley's long throw. The keeper mistimed his leap and missed out leaving Butler free to shoot from fifteen yards out.
The City keeper bundled Butler to the ground and referee Mr. Fletcher awarded a penalty from which Steven MacLean scored.
At the restart Jamie McCombe replaced Wayne Graves and then managed to earn himself two yellow cards and a sending off all inside five minutes of entering the field of play - as he is set to complete a transfer to Lincolnshire rivals Lincoln tomorrow it was not the way he would have wanted to end his time with United.
As City boss Chris Brass contemplated changes, his plans were hit as Scunthorpe went three up. A free kick from the byline out on the right found the head of Groves who headed past Ovendale for his second of the game, it was his 100th career goal.
Brass brought on three young replacements in strikers Levent Yalcin and Andrew Bell and midfielder Matthew Coad. The two strikers both had a chance from an Edmondson cross, Bell heading downwards and Yalcin firing the loose ball wide from a good position.
City got on the scoresheet on 76 minutes. Bell chased a long ball over the top and Scunthorpe keeper Evans came out of his area and had to head clear. Bell chased back and hooked the ball right footed over his own shoulder and the stranded keeper from 25 yards out.
Cooper, who never gave up the fight for City, was twice unlucky with volleys from twenty yards.