Town leapt to seventh in the table with a 2-1 victory over Scunthorpe at Glanford Park. Pablo Couñago scored the first, then was sent off along with home midfielder Jack Cork for an off the ball clash. Sito increased the Blues' lead before Ben May netted a late consolation for the Iron.

Jim Magilton made the expected one change to his starting line-up, Danny Haynes replacing the injured David Norris at right midfield. New loanee Danny Simpson started on the bench having joined up with the squad on Friday evening.

In swirling windy conditions, the Blues took control from the off. Alan Quinn's 30-yard strike was the nearest thing to an early chance, the wind taking the ball well away from Joe Murphy's goal.

Sito's dangerous cross from the left was put out for a corner just ahead of Danny Haynes at the far post, then, for the home side, Geoff Horsfield headed wide from a deep cross after a Scunthorpe break.

Town went in front in the 20th minute. A freekick on the right was cleared to halfway from where the ball was looped back into the box. Jason De Vos flicked the ball to Alan Lee on the edge of the area, the Irishman playing in Pablo Couñago, who had little trouble in beating Murphy to score his second goal in successive away games.

There was a scare for Stephen Bywater a minute later when the keeper missed a long throw from the right. Fortunately he was able to grab the ball at the second attempt with no Scunthorpe player able to add a decisive touch.

Ian Morris shot wide from 30 yards, then Couñago almost repaid Lee for setting up his earlier goal, the Spaniard feeding the Irish striker on the edge of the area, but the ball getting caught under Lee's feet.

Quinn, again one of Town's best performers, volleyed a low cross in from the left but ahead of Lee and Couñago, a defender bundling the ball behind for a corner.

Couñago latched on to a ball played over the top but Murphy did well to save his shot from inside the area on the right.

Sumulikoski threw himself in front of a Jim Goodwin shot from a Martin Paterson cross on 42. The resultant corner went beyond Bywater and everyone else in the penalty area.

Just before the break, Paterson had the ball in the Town net, but the linesman had raised his flag.

Town were good for their lead at the break in trying conditions. The Blues had managed some decent spells of passing despite the windy conditions and Lee and Couñago had worked the goal well. Town had created one or two other opportunities and might have been even further ahead.

The first opportunity of the second half fell to Lee, the Town striker chasing a ball behind the defence and Murphy pushing the ball behind. Referee Iain Williamson surprisingly awarded a goalkick.

Owen Garvan came close to adding to the Blues' lead on 50, taking the ball from halfway before unleashing a shot which flew narrowly over the bar. Meanwhile, in the lead-up to the strike, Couñago and Scunthorpe's on-loan Chelsea midfielder Jack Cork clashed, the home player catching the Spaniard across the face and the Town man retaliating. After consulting with his linesman, referee Williamson showed both players straight red cards.

Couñago now faces a three-match ban for his third red card for Town and it seems likely that Jim Magilton will step up his search for another loan striker with Jon Walters sidelined after his knee surgery and Shefki Kuqi also out at present.

Horsfield was yellow-carded for a foul on David Wright, then from the freekick De Vos headed straight at Murphy. At the other end, Ian Morris's 25-yard strike was saved by Bywater.

Town reorganised with Haynes moving to the lone central striking role and Alan Lee going to the right side as the home team switched to a three-man attack.

Shortly afterwards, Haynes and Lee swapped back to their original roles and the move almost paid dividends. The England U19 international made a strong run down the right, cutting in and laying the ball back for the Irishman. A defender got a toe in preventing his strike, the ball falling to Owen Garvan, but his shot was blocked.

Town's second goal wasn't too long in coming though, Garvan spreading the ball wide to Sito on the left. The Spaniard took the ball on, then cut inside several defenders, before slipping the ball past Murphy for his first senior Town goal. The ex-Racing Club de Ferrol man celebrated long and hard, somersaulting and then being buried beneath his team-mates.

Danny Simpson, making his Town debut, and Tommy Miller were immediately introduced for Velice Sumulikoski and Danny Haynes, who looked to be suffering from an injury.

The Blues had spent much the half sitting back, allowing the home side to come at them and catching them on the break. This continued after the second goal and substitutions.

A Lee flick sent Simpson away on goal but Murphy saved from the young Manchester United star.

As the game entered the last five minutes of normal time, a loose ball fell to Ben May inside the Town area, Stephen Bywater making a sharp save.

Jordan Rhodes replaced Alan Lee on 86, then Bywater pushed a Grant McCann freekick over.

The match moved into injury time and the home side pulled a goal back. Curtis Weston got round the outside of Sito and sent in a cross to the near post, from where May flicked the ball into the net.

Town saw out the remaining minutes, Simpson picking up a yellow card for time-wasting at a freekick, and the victory was never really in any danger.

A well won three points with Town deserving to win more comfortably. In the latter stages, with Scunthorpe throwing everything forward, only a combination of poor first touches, some occasionally questionable linesman's flags and some less than clinical finishing prevented the Blues from increasing their lead.

Referee Iain Williamson had little choice but to show red cards to both Couñago and Cork and the Blues will suffer from the striker's unavailability for the next three matches. Up to his dismissal, the Spaniard had been Town's best player.

New signing Simpson showed his pace and put in a very lively 20 minutes or so and might even have scored.

Sito, the man likely to make way for the latest loanee in the weeks to come, will have the fondest memories of Glanford Park, the Spaniard clearly enjoying his first Town goal, one which he is unlikely to ever better.

The win and other results going in the Blues' favour puts Town well and truly back in the play-off hunt with seven games left to play.

Town: Bywater, Wright, Sito, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Sumulikoski, Haynes, Quinn, Lee, Couñago. Unused: Colgan, Roberts. Att: 6,636.

Photo: Action Images

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