Port Vale 2 : 2 Scunthorpe United - Iron bottom out after draw

Scunthorpe's 10 men came from behind to earn a valuable point but still slid to the foot of the table after a 2-2 draw at Port Vale.

The visitors took a fourth-minute lead when Luke O'Neill skinned Carl Dickinson to cross from the right and Neal Bishop steered a right-footed shot inside the near post from six yards.

But Vale levelled three minutes later with Ben Williamson getting in front of Scunthorpe goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik to glide in a six-yard header from Mark Marshall's left-wing cross.

Both defences continued to struggle in an eventful first-half and Vale were indebted to a magnificent goal-line clearance by Ryan McGivern to deny Lyle Taylor in the 36th minute.

Vale took a 70th-minute lead through substitute Chris Birchall after he had replaced Louis Dodds five minutes earlier.

Olejnik could only beat out a powerful shot from Adam Yates and Birchall smashed a six-yard volley straight between the goalkeeper's legs.

Scunthorpe were really up against it three minutes later when former Vale winger Jennison Myrie-Williams was sent off for a second bookable offence.

But the visitors equalised in the 79th minute when O'Neill whipped over a terrific cross from the right and Taylor glanced a 12-yard header inside Chris Neal's right-hand post.

It took a brilliant save by home goalkeeper Neal to deny Taylor an unlikely winner just a minute later.