Anyone with a tendency to experience deja vu should look away now.

There have been so many potential turning points in Scunthorpe United’s season, the Iron have seemingly gone round in circles.

Not so any more, hopes midweek match-winner Garry Thompson.

The striker’s fourth goal of the campaign on Tuesday ensured a first victory in three months at Glanford Park on a night when they needed it more than ever.

Second-bottom Rochdale were hardly put to the sword, but they did at least find an Iron rearguard boosted by the inclusion of January signings Christian Ribeiro, David Mirfin and Jamie Reckord impenetrable – a situation seen all too infrequently this term.

And that, Thompson believes, is the reason why Scunthorpe head into this weekend’s game at Leyton Orient with a genuine chance to further build on the foundations that defeating Dale put in place.

“We’ve said it in the past about turning things around and then we’ve quickly let ourselves down,” Thompson told the Telegraph.

“Now, hopefully, given we’ve got a bit more experience in the ranks, that won’t happen again.

“There’s big Jon Parkin, Mirfin and myself and Togs (skipper Sam Togwell) that have been in this situation before, when we were in the Championship, fighting relegation.

“We were under massive odds then and I think we probably are this time as well.

“We’ve played some good football this season, we’ve just been unlucky and have been punished for some sloppy play on our behalf.

“Hopefully we can eradicate that and use Tuesday as a building block to push ourselves up the table.”

Mistakes will play as big a defining role in how the Iron fare between now and May.

Against Rochdale there were few, too few to even mention, to quote Frank Sinatra.

That has to continue to be the way if Scunthorpe, having moved out of the bottom four courtesy of only their fifth win of the campaign, are now to pull away from the relegation zone.

“The main thing we have to look at is eradicating mistakes,” said Thompson.

“In any league, in any game; make a mistake and nine times out of 10 you’ll get punished.

“We’re not going to keep a clean sheet every game, teams are always going to get chances – like Rochdale did the other night – but apart from that we looked really solid.

“On the whole, we never looked vulnerable at all. The back four were superb and as a team we defended really well.

“If we can keep that up, it gives myself and the other forwards the chance to win the game – like we did on Tuesday.

“Saturday is another important game, just like Walsall next week. We have to carry on the form we showed the other night.”

Mistakes are not the only thing that will not be tolerated.

Poor performances can no longer be an option for any of the Iron squad given the numbers that now lie in wait in reserve.

Established names like Andy Barcham, Cliff Byrne, Jordan Robertson and Bobby Grant were among the substitutes on Tuesday night, a big difference to a month ago when first year pros Aaron Wint, Jake Turner and Ashley Palmer filled three of the five places.

Manager Alan Knill said the difference in the bench was ‘massive’ and Thompson agreed new faces had breathed new life into the dressing room.

“If nothing else, it brings competition for places,” he continued.

“You know you can’t rest on your laurels and if you don’t play well, then you don’t play. It’s as simple as that.

“Everyone was sad to see Dave (Mirfin) go, because he’d been such a good defender for Scunthorpe.

“It hasn’t worked out for him at pastures new, but it’s good to see him back.

“It’s been a difficult period for the fans. We haven’t played our best football, but we’ve asked them to stay with us and they have done.

“Hopefully now everyone can reap the benefits and they can help drag us over the line, like they did on Tuesday night.

“Now the table makes for better reading and we’ve still got a couple of games in hand.”

Thompson says few, if at all any, of his previous 16 goals for the Iron have been better than Tuesday’s wonderful winner – which flew into the top corner from 30 yards.

The same applies to importance.

“We knew we were under pressure and that we had to go out there and get a result,” continued the former Morecambe man.

“But I thought from minute one we looked really solid.

“I got on the ball and just thought ‘why not have a go?’.

“Nine times out of 10 they probably go over the stand, but luckily it’s gone in and we’ve picked up an important three points.

“I thought I scored a good goal at Hartlepool, though that was a different sort I suppose. I haven’t scored many better than the one on Tuesday though, for sure.

“A similar one I scored was at home to Nottingham Forest a few seasons ago, in the final game.

“It was always going to take something special to win the game.

“Fortunately for me I produced it. Hopefully it can kickstart us now and we can progress up the league.”

False dawns, like those mistakes, have to be a thing of the past.