After the midweek cup exploits for both teams it was back to league action for each side and Palace manager George Burley gave three players their first league start. Edgar Davids and loanees Pablo Counago and Alex Marrow all named in a line up which also welcomed back Claude Davis after a one match suspension.

The visitors had the first chance of the afternoon as early as the second minute when Kieran Djilali was found by Nathaniel Clyne and the lively winger beat his man but his shot went wide of the target.

It was not long at the other end until Scunthorpe were having their first chance when they were awarded a free kick on the right hand side after a foul on Michael Collins. It was from the set piece as Michael O'Connor struck the top of the cross bar

Palace enjoyed a lot of the game in the early stages with a lot of good football being played with the pick of the chances being Marrow shooting wide and Kieron Cadogan seeing an effort blocked by a defender. .

The visitors were thankful by a block at the other end on 23 minutes a Chris Dagnall found Collins but his shot was blocked by Paddy McCarthy for a corner.

Julian Speroni was on hand soon after to deny The Iron when he saved low doen from Dagnall. 

Palace suffered a blow on 32 minutes when they lost their skipper, McCarthy, with an injury which saw Marrow go to centre half and Jonathan Obika coming into a 4-4-2 up front with Counago.

Further disappointment was soon to follow for Burley's side as on 33 minutes Jonathan Forte picked up a throw from the right and shielded the ball from his man before turning the shot into the bottom corner of the net giving Speroni no chance in the Palace goal.  

The home side were more into the game after breaking the deadlock as Collins had a shot from the edge of the box blocked and three minutes before the break, David Mirfin headed over the bar from close range.

The advantage was increased in added time of the half as Forte collected a long ball forward and got a touch to move the ball on past his man and then shot low past Speroni into the middle of the net.

The goalscorer was soon invol;ved again in the early stages of the second half. He played a through ball into the box to Collins but Davids just got in to clear before he could shoot and then Forte had a chance just outside the box but got no power in the effort and the shot was easy to collect for Speroni.

Just before the hour mark of the game Palace had their best opportunity of the half when a Marrow free kick found Obika but he headed over the bar.

Former Palace player Sam Togwell had a great chance to score against his old team when he was played in by Dagnall but from inside the box missed the target as he put the ball behind the goal into the crowd.

Forte had a another chance as the home side pushed to extend the lead but curled the ball wide of the target although it was not long before the third of the afternoon.

Referee Dean Whitestone adjudged that Forte had been pushed in the box and Connor stepped up giving Speroni no chance from the spot as it was number three for Nigel Adkin's side.

After a bright start the two goals in twelve first half minutes were the deciding factor and Palace struggled to get any way back in the game in the second period and went into the international break on the back of a second win of the season for The Iron.

Teams

Scunthorpe Murphy, Byrne, Jones, Mirfin, Nolan, Josh Wright, Togwell, O'Connor (Woolford 82), Collins, Forte, Dagnall (Grant 84).

Subs Not Used: Slocombe, Andrew Wright, Raynes, Boyes, Canavan.

Crystal Palace Speroni, Clyne, McCarthy (Obika 32), Danns, Davids, Cadogan (Dorman 72), Garvan, Marrow, Davis, Djilali, Counago (Andrew 90).

Subs Not Used: Price, Barrett, Parsons, O'Keefe.

Att: 5,292   Referee : Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).