Scunthorpe United 2 : 1 Rochdale - Madden goal keeps Iron going strong

Posted Saturday, December 27, 2014 by PA

A late goal from leading scorer Paddy Madden fired Scunthorpe to a 2-1 home win against Rochdale in a game that burst into life after a goalless first half.

It gave the Iron back-to-back victories at Glanford Park for the first time this season and stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches.

Neither side offered much threat in a dull first half. It was Rochdale who had the only effort of note when Tomasz Cywka tested goalkeeper Sam Slocombe with a snap-shot from the edge of the box.

Scunthorpe opened the scoring in the 58th minute when midfielder Liam O'Neil, on loan from West Brom, fired a low shot into the bottom corner of the net for his first goal for the club after a good pull back from Richard Brindley.

Rochdale showed why they have he best away record in League One this season with a 69th-minute equaliser from Matty Done, who had a simple tap-in at the far post for his 14th goal of the season.

But the Iron responded well with a brilliant 77th-minute winner from Madden who turned in the box to crash home his 11th goal of the campaign, after great work by O'Neil to provide the opening.

It condemned Rochdale to only their fourth away defeat on their travels as Scunthorpe continue to climb clear from the danger zone near the foot of the table.