Rovers saw their recent run of three consecutive home victories halted this evening, as Scunthorpe United emerged victorious at the Memorial Stadium.

It was a game played in windy and at times wet conditions, with the home side looking to move back towards the upper reaches of League One and the visitors hoping to reclaim top spot.

Both sides showed from the outset that they were prepared to attack in numbers, and it was Rovers that had the better of the opening exchanges.

Terrific play between Rickie Lambert and Chris Lines saw Jeff Hughes played in on goal, and a delicate chip over the goalkeeper was somehow hacked away off the line by a back-pedaling defender.

Sam Togwell was unlucky as a low shot sailed just past the upright, and Martyn Woolford was denied by the fingertips of Steve Phillips as the goalkeeper touched his rasping attempt on to the post.

Rovers responded at the other end, and Lambert came within inches of scoring yet another spectacular goal as his 30-yard free-kick ratted against the crossbar.

Scunthorpe took the lead in very fortunate circumstances, thanks to a wicked deflection on a harmless free-kick.

Grant McCann's shot was going straight towards a covering Phillips, but a touch off Hughes in the Rovers wall saw the ball change direction and end up in the back of the net.

Lambert and Jo Kuffour combined well moments later, but their attack was thwarted at the last, and Hughes saw a shot blocked on the edge of the box.

The first half ended with Izzy Eriekpen heading over, as the sides went into the break with just a single goal between them.

Rovers began the second period brightly, and within just minutes of the restart the scores were level again.

Craig Disley was played in down the right by Ryan Green, and the cross that followed towards the back post was powered into the net by Lambert.

Gary Hooper blazed one over the bar as Scunthorpe looked for an instant response, and just after the hour, the visitors were indeed back in the lead.

A Hooper cross wasn't dealt with by Phillips, and Iriekpen had the simplest of jobs in firing home the loose ball from close range.

Lambert forced a superb save from Joe Murphy as Rovers looked for a second equaliser, and substitutes Darryl Duffy and Ben Hunt both came on to make a positive impact.

Scunthorpe managed to hold out until the final whistle with a few scary moments and hurried clearances, but there was no sustained threat to their goalmouth in the closing minutes.

This was a match Rovers didn't deserve to lose, and the manner and fortuity of Scunthorpe's two goals tells its own story of the game as a whole.

Reported by Ian Cole