SCUNTHORPE United have learned from last season to add a new-found resilience which will help them defy the odds again to stay at Championship level.

That's the view of central defender David Mirfin, who feels the Iron are beginning to come of age in the second tier of English football.

"It has been a good start to the season for us," said the 25-year-old player.

"Last Saturday against Crystal Palace I think we showed a sign of our growing maturity.

"When you go in at half-time leading by a couple of goals, the game can then go either way.

"But we came out in the second half and kept control of the game.

"I think we are learning from experience from last season.

"We are learning to control games more, especially at home.

"And I think we are becoming more resilient too.

"Hopefully we are getting to where we want to be."

A first clean sheet of the season has also delighted Mirfin after all the defensive problems Scunthorpe had last term.

But he has put it down to a real team effort, not just a more solid looking defence in which he and Rob Jones are forging a promising partnership.

"We do try to keep a clean sheet every game," he insisted.

"But we defend as a team from the front.

"The work-rate up front of Jonathan Forte and Chris Dagnall in closing people down does help us get out a bit more without the fear of the ball coming straight back.

"The midfield four are also working really hard."

The fortnight's international break has come just at the right time for Mirfin to help him shake off a troublesome Achilles injury.

He picked it up in the first home league game of the season against Norwich.

He missed the next two games and still looked to be 'feeling' the injury during the Iron's 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace last Saturday.

"It has been frustrating for both Rob and me to have missed a couple of games already," Mirfin continued.

"But the lads who have come in have done very well and given the gaffer the right sort of selection headache.

"It's good that they are providing real competition for places."

Mirfin hopes to be 100 per cent fit again when United return to action at home to Bristol City a week on Saturday.

"When we had international breaks last season, we came back with good results – and that is what we have got to try to do again," he said.

"It has been a good start to the season for us but the league table is still so close at the moment.

"A couple of wins and it will keep you in the top 10, a couple of defeats and it could drop you into the bottom six.

"We have just got to try to find a bit more consistency to build on where we are now.

"Hopefully we can achieve that with the confidence that we can score goals and with the new resilience we have got this season."