Scunthorpe United survived a fractious final five minutes to get 2012 off to the perfect start against Hartlepool United.

Goals in each half from Sam Togwell – his first in almost two years – and Garry Thompson had put the Iron well on course for a first victory in eight League One attempts.

And though the home side set up a grandstand finale when Andy Monkhouse lashed them onto the scoreboard, Alan Knill's side held firm to condemn Pools to a ninth successive home defeat.

On-loan goalkeeper Sam Johnstone paid the price for his costly error against Chesterfield two days earlier by dropping to the bench at Victoria Park, with Sam Slocombe restored to the starting line-up in his place.

That was one of three changes made by United, with Garry Thompson preferred to Chris Dagnall and Eddie Nolan back at left-back after completing a one-match suspension.

Togwell filled in at right-back with Cliff Byrne ruled out by the groin problem that forced him off at half-time against the Spireites, while Bobby Grant was also unavailable after aggravating a knock during the same game.

The Iron had turned in one of their poorest performances of the campaign when Pools had triumphed 2-0 at Glanford Park six weeks earlier.

But keen to close their hosts down quickly and force them into mistakes, they opened much brighter in the North East.

Quick-thinking from Jimmy Ryan produced a 30-yard lob which was gathered by the back-pedalling Scott Flinders, while in the 14th minute, Andy Barcham got in behind the home defence to force a decent stop from the Pools keeper low to his right.

The home side threatened when a slip by Shane Duffy allowed Adam Boyd a run on goal, but he opted to shoot way too early, with a long-range effort failing to trouble the largely untroubled Slocombe.

Neither side was able to keep hold of the ball for long, with passes going astray and the wrong decisions being made – more so in the final third than anywhere else.

So it was quite fitting that the Iron took the lead courtesy of the first real passage of quality in the 32nd minute.

Garry Thompson spun a ball down the right flank, Jordan Robertson raced into the box and pulled it back for the onrushing Sam Togwell, who calmly stroked it into the bottom corner.

It was enough to give the visitors a deserved lead at half-time.

Having been in front at half-time in each of their previous games and failed to go on  and win, United faced a stiff test of character after the restart.

For the opening exchanges, they looked laboured, particularly in the middle of the park, but were helped by an at times pedestrian pace to proceedings.

Boyd squandered a good chance to level when he flicked a header wide from Neil Austin's cross to the near post, before the visitors were equally as profiligate.

Nolan was fortunate to get a second bite of the cherry in the 56th minute when he capitalised on a slip by Craig Liddle and whizzed in a low centre which evaded Robertson's boot by just inches. 

Then, 60 seconds later, O'Connor did the same with the outside of his boot from the opposite flank, but Barcham could not get enough on a header to beat Flinders.

Substitute James Brown, introduced to try to give Pool more presence up front for the final half hour, almost made an immediate impact when he headed down Luke James' cross, only to see it bounce over the bar.

Instead, it was the home goal which continued to be under the most strain, with the Iron squandering three good opportunities to net a potentially decisive second goal.

Barcham was the first culprit, when denied by Flinders' foot as he tried to round the Hartlepool stopper, and when Thompson fluffed an effort across the face of goal, O'Connor then saw a low drive blocked and cleared.

Finally though the Iron breathed a sigh of relief, when Thompson showed much more clinical feet in the 74th minute.

He raced forward from his own half, after a Pools attack had broken down, before dinking a measured shot over the advancing keeper – to send the 288 travelling fans into ecstasy.

Any hopes Scunthorpe had of seeing the game out confidently ended when Andy Monkhouse hooked his side onto the scoresheet with seven minutes to play.

He had already gone close with one half volley, that flew across the face of goal and wide, before nestling a pinpoint effort into the bottom corner via the inside of Slocombe's left-hand post.

Hartlepool launched the ball forward almost every time they picked up possession for the remaining minutes – which included an agonising five minutes of stoppage time – but United held firm to start the new year positively.

HARTLEPOOL: Flinders; Austin, Liddle, Hartley, Horwood; James, Sweeney, Humphreys, Luscombe (Brown 60); Monkhouse, Boyd (Solano 73). Subs: Rafferty, Haslam, Baldwin.

SCUNTHORPE: Slocombe; Togwell, S Duffy, Canavan, Nolan; Norwood, O'Connor (Wright 84), Ryan; Thompson, Robertson, Barcham (Dagnall 90). Subs: Johnstone, Reid, Palmer.

ATTENDANCE: 5,289 (288 away).