Lee Novak double helps Scunthorpe ease past 10-man Northampton

Posted Sunday, October 13, 2019 by PA

Scunthorpe improved their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League Two to three games with a comfortable 3-0 victory over 10-man Northampton.

The Iron did the damage in the first half, with all three of their goals coming inside the opening 31 minutes.

Lee Novak fired them ahead in the 12th minute, beating the offside trap to bring down a clever pass from Ryan Colclough and flick it past onrushing goalkeeper David Cornell.

Two minutes later, the Iron striker netted his second, this time pouncing from close range after Cornell had kept out a Kevin Van Veen header.

Sam Hoskins shot wide during a rare sight at goal for the visitors, before van Veen – against his former club – curled a great strike into the far corner of the net to wrap up victory for the hosts.

Northampton improved after the break, but any hopes they had of finding a way back into the game disappeared when striker Vadaine Oliver was sent off in the 54th minute for catching Scunthorpe goalkeeper Rory Watson in the face with his boot while challenging for the ball.

A bloodied Watson was forced off, but the Iron continued to dominate – with only a combination of Cornell and the crossbar denying Novak a hat-trick late on.