Swindon head coach Ben Garner lavished praise on two-goal Josh Davison after the Robins thrashed struggling Scunthorpe 3-0.

Harry McKirdy was also on the scoresheet as Swindon ran riot in the second half at the County Ground.

Garner said: “I am delighted for JD to get his two goals today – he was immense up there.

“We were very good. We were really positive, created lots of opportunities and had lots of shots.

“In the first half we just didn’t take the chances from the positions we got into but overall I’m really pleased.

“Second half we could have scored more but I am also really pleased to get a clean sheet.

“I wanted to get energy into the team. We had a nice balance with the front three.”

McKirdy scored the breakthrough goal in the 58th minute as he raced onto Ellis Iandolo’s delightful diagonal ball down the right.

The forward then drove into the box and tucked through Rory Watson’s legs for his 13th of the season.

A freak deflection 12 minutes later saw Joe Tomlinson’s effort hit team-mate Davison and loop over the stranded Watson for the second goal.

Manny Onariase’s lunge at Louis Barry handed Town a penalty which Davison fired home with five minutes left.

With one win in seven before this Swindon struggled against their lowly opponents in the first half with Aston Villa loanee Barry squandering a far-post header and a one-on-one.

But the first goal opened the floodgates.

Scunthorpe manager Keith Hill faces a mountain to climb to save his side from relegation.

But he said: “I thought it was one of our better performances. I can’t believe we haven’t scored today.

“Swindon are a possession-based side.

“I think they’re a good outfit the way they look pleasant on the eye, but I thought we coped with it quite well.

“And again, I’m just so disappointed for the players because I know what they are going through.

“I just can’t believe the way it has ebbed away after good work in the first half and I certainly wasn’t expecting a 3-0.”

“The players have got to understand the mistakes that they made they cannot keep having.

“They’re gonna have to be brave because when you make mistakes, you don’t go hiding.

“They have got to be brave the next time they step out against Rochdale.”