A RESURGENT Scunthorpe United recovered from a disastrous start to seal three crucial points against fellow strugglers Sheffield United.

Ched Evans smashed home the opener on six minutes, with strike partner Richard Cresswell fortuitously adding a second moments later.

But the home side recovered their composure somewhat, reducing the arrears with a 36th minute Joe Garner penalty.

The same player then netted his second to drag the hosts back into the contest.

And they completed a memorable turnaround, Lee Miller powering a header home in the 53rd minute.

United manager Ian Baraclough kept faith with the side that drew 0-0 against Derby County for their crunch relegation clash with the Blades.

The only change from the 18 on Saturday came on the bench, where David Mirfin was replaced by Eddie Nolan.

The Iron faced a Sheffield outfit bereft of confidence and form, and without a win in 11.

Like United, they were looking for their strikers to provide more goals - the Bramall Lane team having netted just three in their last seven matches.

But it was at the other end that the Blades were looking uncomfortable early on, Garner heading well over when free in the area.

It was a glorious chance they would live to regret as Evans latched on to a loose ball in the area to fire a low drive into the bottom corner.

The visiting side's delight doubled just seconds later, a timid Josh Wright back pass putting Iron stopper Josh Lillis in all sorts of problems.

His clearance struck the charging Cresswell, with the striker peeling away in celebration in front of the Doncaster Road End as the ball trundled into an empty net.

With every attack, the South Yorkshire side looked like scoring, Bjorn Helge Riise smacking the bar with a long range effort in the 25th minute of a game that had passed by the home team until this point.

A poor Iron continued to flounder until Garner was brought down by Neill Collins in the area, with referee David Foster pointing to the spot.

The on-loan Nottingham Forest star sent his spot-kick straight down the middle, giving a lacklustre home side some much needed hope.

And he later ensured the Iron went in at the break on level terms, nodding in a 45th minute back post header, after Mark Duffy's outswinging ball in from the right was nodded across goal at the back stick.

There was plenty of purpose about the hosts at the start of the second half, with a deserved third goal arriving eight minutes after the restart.

A free-kick was swung in from the right, allowing Miller to head into the back of the net and spark scenes of jubilation among the Glanford Park faithful.

A nervy end to the contest was in store, with the Blades desperately searching for an equaliser.

They were to spurn a decent opportunity on 79 minutes, substitute Mark Yeates dragging an effort well wide of the near post when through on goal on the left hand side.

Scunthorpe were resorting to long balls in the closing stages, and one of those, in the 88th minute, paid dividends as Micky Adams' team were reduced to 10 men.

After turning one man on halfway, Garner rampaged forward but was brought down by last man Lowry, with the inevitable red card following.

It ended the hopes of a wretched visiting side, and fuelled the survival hopes of the Iron.

Seven points from nine has reignited their season, and with Crystal Palace losing 1-0 at Portsmouth, Scunthorpe are now just three points off safety, with two games in hand.

Teams

Scunthorpe United: Lillis, A Wright, Nelson, Reid, Gordon, Duffy (Raynes 83), Togwell (c) (Ibrahim 79), J Wright, Hughes (Collins 76), Garner, Miller; Slocombe, Grant, Nolan, Godden.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Nosworthy (Yeates 73), Lowry, Collins, Ertl (Bogdanovic 62), Helge Riise, Lowton, Doyle, Quinn, Cresswell (c) (Bent 71), Evans; Long, Williamson, Kozluk, Parrino.

ATT: 6,281 (2,051 away)