Iron show mettle under Robins

ATHLETIC will need to be on their guard this weekend against a Scunthorpe outfit slowly turning round their fortunes following an awful start to the season.

After losing only five times over the whole of last season, the feelgood factor at Glanford Park didn’t last long.

Manager Russ Wilcox was given his marching orders in October, and since then, under Chadderton-raised replacement Mark Robins, there has been steady but unspectacular progress.

Former Rotherham, Barnsley and Huddersfield boss Robins has been in charge for 19 games, and lost only three, though nine matches have been drawn.

Scunthorpe go into Saturday’s clash against Athletic on something of a high after a thumping victory at Leyton Orient last weekend – their second straight 4-1 win on their travels and their eighth without defeat.

Leicester City loanee Tom Hopper bagged a couple of goals at the Matchroom Stadium, after which Robins felt his side had turned another significant corner.

The former 1990s Manchester United and Norwich City hit-man beamed: “We were brilliant at Orient.

“The lads produced everything you want from an away performance and more besides.”

The Iron’s recent record is good. They have lost only once in their last 15 games, though are still only 17th in the league. They haven’t been defeated away since September, when Athletic beat them 3-2