In-form Scunthorpe end Gillingham's unbeaten start in style
Scunthorpe continued their storming start to the Sky Bet League One season with a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of previously unbeaten Gillingham.
Most of the damage was done in the first half as they swept into a 3-0 lead.
Gillingham never recovered from a fifth-minute blooper by goalkeeper Stuart Nelson which gifted the home side the lead
He should have collected a speculative 25-yard shot from Kevin Van Veen but allowed it to slip through his grasp and into the net.
In-form Scunthorpe made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 20th minute when Josh Morris converted confidently after he himself had been brought down just inside the box.
There was no stopping Scunthorpe and on the stroke of half-time they made it 3-0 when full-back Jordan Clarke popped up at the far post to head home an inswinging right-wing corner from Morris.
Gillingham's misery continued in the second half when another mistake by Nelson on 59 minutes allowed a long-range shot from Morris to squeeze past him to make it 4-0.
The visitors were denied even a consolation goal late on when an angled drive from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was turned away at full stretch by Luke Daniels.
Instead, it was Scunthorpe, now second in the table, who made it 5-0 in the 83rd minute when striker Tom Hopper converted a low cross into the box from Hakeeb Adelakun.
It should have been 6-0 but substitute Scott Laird's tame stoppage-time penalty was easily saved by Nelson after Conor Townsend had been brought down in the box.
Source : PA
Source: PA