Carlisle United have bounced back from two successive defeats with two wins in a row.
This second one, 1-0 at Scunthorpe, was the most significant as the Iron had opened the season unbeaten, with seven wins in their first 11 games.
In some ways it was a tale of two central defenders.
Carlisle’s Aaron Hayden scored what proved to be the 20th-minute winner while the home side’s skipper Andrew Boyce was sent off five minutes before half-time.
Hayden was at the back post to thump the ball home after the Scunthorpe defence had been unable to clear a corner from Archie Davies.
Then just before the break Boyce was sent off for a bad challenge on Georgie Kelly.
There was even a suggestion a second home player should have been shown a red card in first half stoppage time but
Will Evans only received a yellow card when United players claimed he had caught Junior Luamba with his elbow.
The win put the Blues third in the table, two places and four points better off than Scunthorpe, who have two games in hand.
