Full-time: Scunthorpe United 1 AFC Bournemouth 2

KARL Hawley's penalty could not prevent Scunthorpe United from slipping to a seventh home defeat in 11 games as the Iron were beaten by in-form Bournemouth.

Hawley converted from the Iron's second spot kick of the afternoon, but three mad minutes during the first half ultimately cost them dearly.

During that spell, which came on the back of an even opening  quarter, goals from the Cherries' Lewis Grabban and Wes Fogden sandwiched United's first penalty, which was tamely struck by Mike Grella and easily kept out by former England keeper David James.

The Iron were given an early insight into life without Leon Clarke, as the in-form front man was one of several players to pick up injuries in the 48 hours leading up to the game.

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The on-loan Charlton striker had hoped to bring a fairytale ending to his three magical months at Glanford Park in what should have been the final game of his spell with Scunthorpe, but a hamstring injury problem curtailed those plans.

Nathan Ellington (calf) and Josh Walker (ankle ligament) were also missing, meaning Mike Grella started his first match in more than a month and Damien Mozika returned to partner Jimmy Ryan in the middle of the park.

The Iron forced the first chance of the afternoon, against a Bournemouth side unbeaten in 11 matches, in the eighth minute, following clever inter-play between Grella and Karl Hawley.

The former did well to find himself a pocket of space on the right flank and when he rolled a pass into the box, Hawley held off Elphick before swivelling and firing an effort goalwards which hit the upper arm of James before spinning behind.

Although Scunthorpe had the early efforts – Christian Ribeiro showing a good turn of pace before watching a shot fly over the bar – the Cherries had much more purpose about their play when they broke.

That told in space of that manic three minutes, when they capitalised on another United collapse.

Lewis Grabban was first to strike, from a tight angle, after keeper Steve Mildenhall had had to get to his feet quickly having clawed away Brett Pitman's header from a deep cross into the box.

Two minutes later, the hosts had the perfect chance to make an immediate reply, but Grella's penalty, awarded after his chip had struck the hand of defender Tommy Elphick, was tame and easily kept out by James.

To compound their misery, the Cherries broke upfield and an attempted clearance hit Wes Fogden and spun beyond Mildenhall's desperate attempts to get a hand to the ball.

It meant in the space of five minutes, a match that had been nicely poised was now another uphill battle for the struggling home side.

They enjoyed some better spells of possession after the break, but didn't look threatening in and around the Bournemouth box – unlike the visitors, whose speed on the break was a worry for a Scunthorpe side looking to find a way back into the game.

Just before the hour mark Mozika went close, turning well on the edge of the six-yard box to meet Newey's centre, though James reacted well to keep it out.

In the 63rd minute the Iron found the lifeline they craved having been awarded a second penalty, again for handball, this time against midfielder Shaun MacDonald.

While the Cherries protested, Hawley grabbed the ball before showing how it should be done and stroking his shot just above James' dive to his left.

Further chances were few and far between – at both ends, despite both defences becoming more and more stretched as the clock ticked down.

Mildenhall reacted well to push away a drive from Pitman and Duffy was unlucky to see a low shot bounce into the side netting.

The Iron sent on Michael Collins and rookie youth striker Jamie Wootton to try to find a way through in the closing moments, but like much of their attacking efforts all afternoon, it proved fruitless.

SCUNTHORPE: Mildenhall, Ribeiro, McChrystal, Canavan, Newey, Duffy, Mozika, Ryan (Djeziri 90), Barcham (Collins 76), Grella (Wootton 82), Hawley. Subs: Slocombe, Kennedy, Gibbons, Hughes.

BOURNEMOUTH: James, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Fogden (Partington 89), MacDonald, O'Kane, Pugh (McQuoid 74), Grabban, Pitman. Subs: Buchel, Demouge, Tubbs, McDermott, Fletcher.

ATTENDANCE: 2,875 (168 away).