Dan Sweeney’s towering second-half header earned League Two leaders Forest Green a 1-0 win over rock-bottom Scunthorpe.

Sweeney struck in the 75th minute to end United’s resistance and earn Rovers a second successive victory following a seven-match winless run

Scunthorpe had earlier belied their lowly position and mustered the first shot in anger as Hayden Hackney thumped a shot against Luke McGee’s post from the edge of the box.

Rovers were then dealt a blow in the 15th minute when top scorer Matty Stevens limped off.

Despite that setback, Rovers gained a foothold but were denied by Iron keeper Rory Watson who clawed a Nicky Cadden free-kick over.

Watson was beaten when Stevens’ replacement Josh March fired in a shot, but the ball smashed against the crossbar and stayed out.

Moments later Watson kept out an Ebou Adams strike before denying March and then producing a flying save from Cadden’s free-kick as Rovers turned up the pressure.

After the break, a superb double save by McGee kept the game at deadlock, the former Portsmouth keeper thwarting Tyrese Sinclair and Liam Feeney.

At the other end, Watson remained alert to block Sweeney’s close-range stab.

It was beginning to look as if the leaders would be frustrated but they found the breakthrough with 15 minutes left when Sweeney nodded in from Cadden’s free-kick.

Watson denied Jake Young with his feet as Rovers cantered home.