Manager Alan Knill believes strike duo Chris Dagnall and Bobby Grant repaid the faith he has shown in them this season by firing Scunthorpe United to a third win of the campaign.

Having gone nine games since his last goal, Grant bagged a brace as the Iron scored more than twice in a match for the first time this term in their 4-2 success against Tranmere Rovers.

And Dagnall showed a real striker's instinct to take his tally for the season to six with a clinical finish when through one-on-one – his second strike in as many matches.

"It was brilliant to see the strikers both score," said the Iron boss, who also saw on-loan centre-back Shane Duffy notch with a close-range header.

"It's either black or white with strikers. They're either good because they score or rubbish if they don't, irrelevant of what they bring to the team.

"The pair have worked really hard and have no reward.

"But I've kept faith and the work ethic they put in gets goals. I'm sure if they keep doing that they'll be up there with the top scorers."

Of all four goals at Glanford Park, it was Grant's first – and the Iron's second – which Knill believes was pivotal to seeing United end Tranmere's six-match unbeaten run.

It came a minute before half-time to take the hosts in at the break level at 2-2, despite the fact they had been outplayed for the opening 45 minutes.

"To go in at 2-2 was a great boost for us," continued the Iron boss.

"If it had been 2-1 I'm sure the crowd reaction wouldn't have been what it was.

"In the first half we struggled a little bit.

"They played Jose Baxter in the hole and we went too deep.

"The first goal we conceded was from a set piece, which we'd worked on in training. We made a poor decision and then didn't get the second ball.

"With the second goal we allowed him (former Iron trialist Mustafa Tiryaki) a touch and a strike.

"Second half we came out and tried to play more in their half than ours and let them defend rather than us. If you do that enough you get rewards.

"We still need to be more ruthless at both ends, but to score four goals at home – I don't think you can ask for any more than that."