SCUNTHORPE United manager Nigel Adkins was pleaed with the way his team performed in their comfortable 3-0 win against Crystal Palace.

Two goals from Jonathan Forte and a penalty from Michael O'Connor saw the Iron ease to their first home league win of the season, their third of four including League Cup games.

"I thought Crystal Palace were the better side for the firt half an hour," Adkins said. "Second half I think we've dominated and should have scored more goals.

"But I thought the defining moment was the penalty at 2-0. The game was still in the balance and Jonathan Forte was on a hat-trick but great credit because Michael O'Connor has gone and scored the goal, Jonathan has gone and celebrated with him and that's great professionalism."

Palace manager George Burley freely admitted that the Iron deserved their victory but pinpointed the loss of his captain Patrick McCarthy to illness in the 32nd minute as a turning point in the match.

"I'm disappointed with the performance,"Burley said. "Our two young wide players never got into the game and we had a spell where two goals were conceded after Paddy McCarthy had to go off with a stomach bug.

Unfortunately his replacement Adam Barrett also had the stomach bug so I had to change things round.

"But all credit to Scunthorpe, I thought they played very well and deserved to win."