FULL-TIME: Swindon Town 1 Scunthorpe United 1

Karl Hawley's header rescued a point for Scunthorpe United as they notched a second successive draw against Swindon Town.

The Iron fell behind to James Collins' strike with 18 minutes gone, but their hosts were reduced to 10 men following a second yellow card for Aden Flint and United made the numerical advantage count shortly after half-time.

Missing David Mirfin through suspension, there was a first appearance of the season for skipper Paul Reid despite an injury scare earlier in the week.

The centre-back last featured for the Iron in April after suffering a broken bone in his hand during pre-season followed by a succession of niggles, the latest of which, a calf problem, forced him to sit out a behind-closed-doors game in midweek.

There was a place on the bench too, for Michael Collins after more than a year on the sidelines with tendinopathy and an Achilles injury, the midfielder making a return to action in the final few minutes.

United made a decent start, looking reasonably comfortable as they held their own against Swindon and carved out a few early openings.

Leon Clarke was at the heart of their best chances as he made a return to his former club. Linking up with Jimmy Ryan inside the first 10 minutes, the latter was unable to make the most of the opportunity, while Clarke headed over the bar shortly after from a deep David Prutton cross.

Mark Duffy also tried his luck, but his long-range effort fizzed well wide.

Having largely been contained in the opening 15 minutes, Town gradually worked their way into the game as sloppy passing hindered the visitors' cause.

Sam Slocombe successfully cut out Jay McEveley's threatening cross with 15 minutes gone, but barely three minutes later he was left picking the ball out of the net.

A slip by Niall Canavan out on the right proved costly as some lovely link-up play between James Collins and strike partner Paul Benson finished with the former firing beyond Slocombe from the edge of the six-yard area while the Scunthorpe defence appealed in vain for off-side.

It left Alan Knill's men struggling to get back into the game for the remainder of the half as they failed to find their earlier form.

Slocombe was called into action again as the half-hour neared, doing well to thwart Matt Ritchie as the midfielder raced on to a long through-ball, with the Iron keeper getting clattered for his troubles.

Swindon though, were reduced to 10 men with 12 minutes of the half remaining.

Barely 10 minutes after initially going into the referee's notebook for upending Clarke, Aden Flint received his marching orders for doing the same again, this time right on the edge of the penalty area.

Duffy though, fired the subsequent free-kick straight into the wall.

Still, it didn't take long for the man advantage to tell after the break.

A superb cross from Duffy on the right was finished with a delightful flicked header from Hawley to draw United level.

And they could have taken the lead soon after, with Wes Foderingham beating away Clarke's effort from inside the area and then plucking another Duffy cross out of the air as the winger once again tried to find Hawley.

Making the most of the right channel in particular and encouraged by their goal, Scunthorpe began to put some pressure on their hosts.

Substitute Andy Barcham should have done better when he cut inside from the left, but failed to catch the ball right and it was a comfortable save for Foderingham.

Despite the return of their captain however, United still suffered from some worrying moments at the back.

A couple of mistakes from Christian Ribeiro led to a succession of corners which Scunthorpe eventually cleared – much to the relief of their right-back.

Gary Roberts went alone as the final whistle neared and almost grazed the bar with a fine attempt from range, but it was Barcham who had the best chance to bag the winner, racing clear in the box only to drag the ball inches wide.

Swindon continued to press in the closing minutes, with Roberts and Darren Ward both going close but Knill's side managed to hang on for a point.

SWINDON: Foderingham; Thompson (Archibald-Henville 68), Ward, Flint, McEveley; Ritchie, Miller, Ferry, Roberts; Collins (Rooney 77), Benson (McCormack 39). Subs not used: Bedwell, Storey, De Vita, Bostock.

SCUNTHORPE: Slocombe; Ribeiro, Reid, Canavan, Newey; Ryan (Barcham 56), Gibbons (Collins 88), Prutton, Duffy; Hawley, Clarke. Subs not used: Severn, Kennedy, Walker, Grella, Jennings.

ATTENDANCE: 7,388 (185 away).