IT WAS a point against Reading 12 months ago that secured Scunthorpe United their Championship status on an emotional night at Glanford Park.

Tonight, the Iron need another big result against the Royals to keep alive their hopes of survival again.

New manager Alan Knill knows that Saturday's stunning 4-1 win against leaders QPR has re-ignited belief among the fans that Scunthorpe can defy the odds again in a last gasp bid for safety.

And he will make it clear to the players that he will not accept anything below the standard of energy and commitment they produced at the weekend.

"I was delighted that, in what was really my first game in charge, the players did really what I asked," said Knill.

"That is the standard that has been set for themselves now and every time we drop below it then questions will have to be asked.

"I do not care whether it is on a Saturday, in a match, or a Monday in training, I expect them to be their best.

"If they are not, then we will let them know.

"And if they do not give their best consistently, then they will not play for me."

Knill admitted that while he had been shocked at what he saw in the previous week's 6-0 drubbing at Norwich, he had been equally pleasantly surprised against QPR.

"It just shows that with a bit of togetherness, a bit of belief and a bit of commitment what you can do," he continued.

"To me it was a typical Scunthorpe performance.

"It was one that was aggressive and one that was about making it difficult for teams who come here."

After facing the top two teams in the Championship in his first two games in charge, Knill is quite happy tonight to be taking on in-form Reading who have gate-crashed the play-offs with six wins on the bounce.

"I think tonight's game is a good one to have," he insisted.

"When you are playing top teams, which Reading are, you have to be at the top of your own game.

"I think they are the form team in the Championship at the moment.

"They are a good side with good players playing really well. I think it will be another big test for us.

"But I don't think they will feel they will be facing the same Scunthorpe team tonight that they might have had reports on for the last three or four weeks."

Knill was delighted to put a smile back on the faces of the fans on Saturday.

"When I was first linked with this job, you look at the stats and the thing that struck me was how unbelievably bad the home form was this season for a team like Scunthorpe," he confessed.

"All the success that the club has had has been built here at Glanford Park."

Knill is not one to tinker with his team. He looks set to stick by the same XI that humbled QPR.

"I have never been one to make too many changes. If it is not broken don't try and fix it, simple as," he declared.