AFC Wimbledon 1 - 2 Scunthorpe United: Tom Hopper inspires Scunthorpe success at Wimbledon

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2016 by PA

Tom Hopper scored a header and won a penalty to send Scunthorpe United second in League One with a 2-1 win at AFC Wimbledon, whose wait for a point continues this season.

Wimbledon almost led after 10 minutes, when Andy Barcham's looping cross hit the post, before Jake Reeves' rebound was deflected narrowly over.

But Scunthorpe broke the deadlock on 23 minutes, when Hopper headed in Conor Townsend's inch-perfect cross on the overlap.

Wimbledon were reeling and Iron doubled their lead four minutes before the break when Darius Charles clipped Hopper's heels, Josh Morris coolly slotting home.

Dons manager Neal Ardley switched formation at half-time, bringing on Tom Elliott and Dean Parrett, and they combined on 62 minutes.

Elliott met Parrett's free-kick with a thundering header onto the crossbar before Charles converted the rebound six yards out.

Elliott then almost equalised minutes later, heading Barry Fuller's cross inches wide of the near post.

Scunthorpe could have ended the contest on 90 minutes, when Hopper blazed over with only goalkeeper Ryan Clarke to beat, but they withstood late pressure to sit second after three games.