NEW manager Alan Knill was given an immediate insight into the task facing him at Scunthorpe United as his side crashed to an embarrassing defeat in his first game in charge.

Grant Holt's hat-trick, coupled with a second-half treble from substitute Simeon Jackson saw the 10-man Iron blown away by high-flying Norwich City.

The visitors already trailed to Holt's 10th minute opener when defender Paul Reid saw red for a foul on the imposing Canaries striker in the penalty area.

Once the one-time Iron target had converted the spot kick, there was never going to be any way back for a visiting side that again failed to look threatening in the opposition box.

But the way they capitulated must be a massive worry for their new manager on a day in which Preston's win over Swansea saw United crash to the foot of the table.

Caretaker boss Tony Daws picked the team for the game and made five changes to the starting line-up as the Iron returned to Championship action on the back of the international break.

Goalkeeper Joe Murphy was back between the posts for the first time in three months on the back of ankle injury, meaning Josh Lillis dropped to the bench.

Reid, Michael Raynes and Michael Collins were also recalled, while there was a debut for Ramon Nunez up front alongside Joe Garner.

New boss Knill saw his side start brightly enough, with Nunez at the centre of some decent early play.

But in the 10th minute, the visitors were behind, Holt stretching to flick a shot past Murphy on the back of some good play between Andrew Surman and Dani Pacheco.

After soaking up a spell of decent Canaries pressure, the Iron tried to find a way back into the game.

But apart from Nunez, rarely did they create anything as an attacking force.

The Honduran was only inches away from getting a header on target after a clever one-two with Eddie Nolan and he also had keeper John Ruddy beaten in the 19th minute with a cracking long-range drive that proved just too high.

It was always the home side, looking a good bet for automatic promotion to the Premier League, that dictated the pace of the play though and United's afternoon went from bad to worse shortly after the half hour mark.

Reid was woefully late with an attempt of a tackle on Holt as the Canaries front man bustled into the box and the one-time Iron target doubled his own and his side's tally from the penalty spot.

To compound the visitors' misery, Reid was sent off by referee Oliver Langford - a decision about which they could have no complaints.

Knill opted to try to shore his side up by introducing Sam Togwell into the middle of the park. The fact though he took off Nunez to do so was a surprise.

The pattern of play after the break was exactly the same.

With sometimes nine men behind the ball in a bid to try not to capitulate, Scunthorpe had only Joe Garner as an outlet going forward.

It meant the majority of the clash continued to be played in the visiting half, with Liverpool loanee Pacheco attempting a cheeky 40-yard lob after robbing Michael Nelson, one to which Murphy was fortunately alert.

A third Norwich goal always looked likely. The biggest surprise was that it took until the 61st minute to arrive.

Andrew Crofts was allowed time to bring the ball under control wide on the right and when he lifted a pinpoint cross into the six-yard box, Holt made a free header count to complete his hat-trick.

Just before the goal, midfielder Wes Hoolahan had been unlucky with an effort that crashed off the outside of Murphy's right-hand post.

And the woodwork again came to the visitors' rescue as the game entered the final quarter as the Irishman pushed a rasping drive from full-back Marc Tierney onto the other post.

Sadly, the onslaught continued.

Substitute Jackson - on as a replacement for the impressive Pacheco - netted twice in as many minutes on the back of some shocking Iron defending.

But it has to be said, it was no more than the rampant home side deserved.

First he capitalised on some hesitant play by Michael Raynes, robbing the centre-back as he was about to pass back to his keeper before than racing forward and slotting a shot past the onrushing Murphy from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Then he stabbed the ball home at the near post after ex-Iron loanee Henri Lansbury had crossed from the right flank.

In injury-time, he also completed an impressive hat-trick, sweeping home a shot on the turn after again being allowed time and space in the penalty area.

It completed a woeful afternoon on a day that had marked the start of a new era at United.

At least though the new manager can have no doubts as to the hard work that lies ahead.

TEAMS

NORWICH: Ruddy; Martin, Ward, Whitbread, Tierney; Crofts, Fox, Surman, Hoolahan (Lansbury 64); Holt (Vokes 66), Pacheco (Jackson 70). Subs not used: Rudd, Edwards, Smith, Lappin.

SCUNTHORPE: Murphy; Hughes, Nelson, Reid, Nolan; Collins (Duffy 62), Raynes, O'Connor, Gordon; Nunez (Togwell 33), Garner (Dagnall 67). Subs not used: Lillis, A Wright, , Mirfin, J Wright.

ATTENDANCE: 26,512 (300 away approx).