Scunthorpe climb out of relegation zone after Sutton’s winner

Posted Sunday, January 06, 2019 by PA

Scunthorpe struck twice in seven second-half minutes to secure a 2-1 victory over Coventry City and climb out of the League One relegation zone.

James Perch netted the opener from the edge of the box in the 67th minute, with midfielder Levi Sutton curling in a second not long after.

Though Conor Chaplin made the most of a lapse at the back to get Coventry back in the game with 12 minutes to play, United held on to claim a third successive victory.

Both sides cancelled each other out in an at times frantic first half, with Luke Thomas firing over at one end before Scunthorpe’s former Sky Blues forward George Thomas was denied by a smart stop from Lee Burge at the other.

Coventry looked the likelier scorers having begun the second period on top, though fell behind when Thomas teed up Perch and the midfielder’s shot took a deflection before nestling into the back of the net.

If there was an element of fortune about the home side’s opener, the same could not be said about their second, with Sutton producing a curling finish after good play on the right by Kyle Wootton.

Chaplin, days after making his loan move from Portsmouth to Coventry permanent, nodded home from inside the six-yard box to give the Sky Blues hope after Rory McArdle’s header wrong-footed keeper Jak Alnwick, but it proved no more than a consolation goal.