A MAGNIFICENT defensive display sealed three precious points for Scunthorpe United as they gave their survival hopes a huge boost with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.​

An own goal from Chris Gunter, under pressure from Iron striker Chris Dagnall, with 20 minutes played, proved to be the difference between the two sides in the Championship clash at Glanford Park.

Dagnall had been United manager Ian Baraclough’s one change from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Cardiff.

He stepped in to replace loan front man Joe Garner, who was ruled out against his parent club, as Scunthorpe looked to build on an encouraging performance in South Wales.

And they managed to do just that, making a positive start against the Reds.

Looking to attack from the off, the hosts pressed forward at every opportunity, with Mark Duffy making inroads down the right wing and Dagnall putting in a typically busy shift up front.

Sam Togwell looked to get the Iron’s shots tally underway early on, going for goal from outside the box, but his tame effort went well wide of the upright.

Dagnall too, tried to find the target inside the first 15 minutes, heading a cross from Duffy over the bar.

Promotion-chasing Forest though, gradually started to make their mark on the game and began to apply some pressure.

Lewis McGugan’s stinging drive went inches wide as he followed up a free-kick which United keeper Josh Lillis had palmed away.

However, they failed to take advantage of a spell of possession and fell behind midway through the first half.

An inviting cross from Lee Miller on the right was bundled over by Gunter from close range, with Dagnall breathing down his neck and eager to claim the goal as his own.

Without a win at home since August, it was just the tonic Baraclough's men needed.

Their visitors though, looked to make a comeback and kept the Iron defence on their toes leading up to the interval, with Michael Nelson forced to put a stop to a Forest attack on several occasions.

His central defensive partner, Paul Reid, was on hand to deflect Robert Earnshaw’s effort wide as the hosts made it to the interval a goal to the good.

Unsurprisingly, Forest came flying out the blocks in the second half and looked to pepper the Iron goal with shots.

Under pressure, it produced sterling performances from Nelson and Reid.

The former came to the rescue with a superb tackle to deny Earnshaw a shooting opportunity in the penalty area.

At the opposite end, Dagnall came close to extending United’s lead when he headed Duffy’s free-kick inches over.

It was one of very few chances for the hosts in the second period as they soaked up an immense amount of pressure, bringing on Michael Raynes in place of Duffy for further protection.

Lillis was called into action several times, clinging on to a Marcus Tudgay effort and gathering Garath McCleary's header on the line.

The Reds continued to bombard the Iron stopper's goal throughout the second half and it was every man back for the hosts.

Chris Cohen and David McGoldrick were both off target with their attempts, while even keeper Lee Camp tried to make a nuisance of himself at a Forest corner in the closing minutes.

It required a tremendous effort from United, but they got their just rewards as they hung on for a momentous victory.

SCUNTHORPE: Lillis, Nolan (A Wright 72), Reid, Nelson, Gordon, Duffy (Raynes 68), Togwell, J Wright, Hughes, Dagnall (Grant 79), Miller. Unused subs: Slocombe, Collins, Ibrahim, Godden.

FOREST: Camp, Gunter, Chambers, Morgan, Konchesky, McKenna, McGugan (McGoldrick 65), Cohen, Tudgay, Tyson (Adebola 65), Earnshaw (McCleary 79). Unused subs: Smith, Anderson, Moloney, Lynch.

ATTENDANCE: 5,578 (1,925 away).