Scunthorpe United 3 Chorley 0: Eight-match unbeaten run is ended

​The Magpies did have the best chance of the opening exchanges, Carlton Ubaezounu squandering a glorious opportunity to put the visitors in front after beating the offside trap – but his shot was a tame one, straight at Ross Fitzsimons.

Andy Preece's side continued to go toe-to-toe with The Iron for the majority of the opening 45 minutes, until referee Dane McCarrick adjudged Adam Henley to have fouled Callum Roberts inside the box – a dubious call, but Danny Whitehall made no mistake from 12 yards to convert past Matt Urwin.

Scunthorpe began to gather momentum before the break as they went in search for a second, Urwin kept busy in goal on more than one occasion, saving well from Roberts and Andrew Boyce.

Chorley were dealt a big blow shortly after the restart and were left with a mountain to climb, Conn or Smith slotting the ball into the far corner after the ball fell kindly into his path from an earlier free-kic k.

The Iron continued to assert their dominance on the game and were rewarded once more shortly after the hour mark, Whitehall tapping home the rebound from point-blank range.

Chorley’s only real chance from there fell to substitute David Moyo who could only direct his header straight to Fitzsimons after a smart cross in from Billy Whitehouse.

Scunthorpe United: Fitzsimons, Ogle, Evans, Boyce, Clunan, Roberts, Butterfield, Scales (Kelly 79), Smith (Law 74), Denton, Whitehall (Elliott 74). Unused: Kouogun, Shrimpton.

Chorley: Urwin, Moore, Smith, Ellis, Henley (Wilson 45), Nolan, Rus (Shenton 79), Calveley (Moyo 64), Whitehouse, Ubaezuonu, Johnson. Unused: Blakeman, Doumbouya.