Neil Cox admitted “perseverance was the key” as Scunthorpe returned to winning ways courtesy of an injury-time winner against managerless Barrow.

Full-back Jordan Clarke headed the all-important goal to breach a stubborn Bluebirds rearguard, after Abo Eisa’s opener for the Iron had been quickly cancelled out by Scott Quigley.

“It wasn’t pretty, but they all count,” Cox said after a 2-1 victory.

“I’m not really worried about performances; I worry about three points and we got those tonight.

“We got 24 crosses into the box and while we didn’t get much on target, we got there in the end.

“The delivery for the winner was excellent – Eisa got it in the zone and Jordan came around the back to score a fantastic header.

“I don’t know what he was doing up there, as I’d told him not to go. But it was a great header.

“A draw would probably have been the fair result, but if you take your chances, you give yourselves a chance to win.

“At times this season we haven’t always got what we’ve deserved from games.

“Defensively we looked solid. Barrow didn’t create much aside from a few set-plays, but I was over the moon to nick something at the end.

“It shows there’s a belief in the side. We kept pushing for three points and credit to the players for doing that.”

Barrow, playing for the first time since parting company with boss David Dunn at the weekend, looked capable of ending a run of four successive defeats with a bright first-half performance.

Quigley nodded his side back on level terms after Eisa’s low drive from the edge of the box had given the Iron the lead three minutes earlier.

The Bluebirds found themselves on the back foot in the second period, although Scunthorpe struggled to carve out much in the way of chances – aside from Clarke’s back-post header in stoppage time.

“We’re devastated – but that’s what the league is all about if you switch off, even for a minute, and individuals don’t do their jobs,” caretaker boss Rob Kelly said.

“We spoke before the game about discipline and what that looks like in terms of seeing it out to the death and unfortunately, at this level, you get punished if you don’t do it.

“It got quite scrappy in the second half and I didn’t see another goal coming.

“We didn’t look in any danger, but then we give a cheap set-play away and switch off from it. It cost us the game.

“I thought we played well in the first half but then it became what I’d describe as a typical League Two encounter – no-one could really get hold of the ball.

“That is the time that you have to stay tough mentally and maintain that discipline.

“We did that for nearly all of the game, but when we switched off at the end, we got punished.”