Windass sinks Iron

Dean Windass inspired Hull to a third successive win as they overcame Scunthorpe at Glanford Park.

Dean Windass inspired Hull to a third successive win as they overcame Scunthorpe 2-1 at Glanford Park. The 38-year-old bagged a first-half brace to register his sixth and seventh goals of the season for Phil Brown's men. The last time Windass faced Scunthorpe was for Bradford when he scored a hat-trick and he could have had another here had he not stumbled when faced with a second-half open goal. Despite Jonathan Forte's goal against the run of play, the home side were unable to mark Nigel Adkins' 50th game in charge with a performance fitting of the occasion and they have now failed to win in their last six home games. After dismantling Preston 3-0 in their last match, it did not take Hull too long to find their feet and they were in the lead as early as the fourth minute. Windass had already tested Joe Murphy with a curling free-kick and after the ensuing corner was cleared, Michael Turned hooked the loose ball goalwards forcing Murphy to hurriedly parry. With the Scunthorpe defence static, Windass wasted little time in pouncing on the second ball and firing home from an acute angle. Hull could have been further ahead just a minute later when Windass' livewire strike partner Frazier Campbell brought the best out of Murphy with a stinging half-volley. Hull extended their lead in the 16th minute. With the home midfield stretched, Bryan Hughes slotted a clever reverse pass to Damien Delaney. The full-back produced a delicate cross which Murphy missed to Stephen McPhee the chance to return the ball into the box. Windass was the most alert man in the area and he slipped in front of Murphy to score a close-range header. It was little more than Hull deserved and they proceeded to dominate the rest of the half apart from Forte's injury-time goal. With seconds remaining of the half, Hull stood still as Hayes played a ball forward and Forte was alert enough to latch on to it and slot a cool finish beyond Myhill. The Iron began the second-half in a more positive fashion and were quick to introduce seven-goal top scorer Martin Paterson from the bench, and Cork soon flashed an effort narrowly over the bar. As the rain began to fall, McPhee blazed an effort wide after a Windass lay-off and the latter then spurned his chance for a hat-trick when he failed to arrange his feet quick enough when presented with an open goal after a scramble in the box. The home side continued to work hard but appeared to have run out of steam despite Paterson's half-hearted claim for a penalty as he was challenged by Sam Ricketts. Caleb Folan, making his first appearance for two months, then came off the bench to slide a good opportunity wide of the post as Hull looked for a clinching goal. Paterson looped a gilt-edged late chance wide of the post.