PERHAPS Scunthorpe United should have read the label before taking on Darlington on New Year's Day.

If Brian Laws and his players had, it would have read: "Handle with care and caution."

But as the January sales start in earnest, Darlington sold Scunthorpe United an outrageous dummy at Glanford Park at the weekend.

It would seem that shifty Quakers are not a team to be trusted these days. After leaking ten goals in their previous three games, David Hodgson's men had set up the bait that Scunthorpe took hook, line and sinker.

Unbeaten in their previous 11 league matches, Scunthorpe fans will have felt the chance to extend their lead at the top of League Two was there for the taking. But then again Scunthorpe-Darlington affairs rarely produce the predictable.

What can be guaranteed is that past encounters have never been short of incident. On the final day of last season the sides met to decide who finished third bottom of the old Division Three - Quakers gaining the upper-hand with a 1-0 win. Earlier in that campaign Quakers had two players - Barry Conlon and Ryan Valentine - sent off, before surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2.

During the 2001/02 season Quakers had Conlon and Mark Ford sent off by referee Paul Alcock in an amazing 7-1 defeat at Glanford Park.

On Saturday both sides ended the game with ten men after Andy Butler and Brian Close were sent off in either half. Butler was dismissed for a professional foul on Adolfo Gregorio, while Close was red-carded for a second bookable offence.

The home side were furious with Scott Mathieson's 38th minute decision to penalise Butler, as replays suggested he was not the last man, with Iron full-back Nathan Stanton level with the incident.

Close received a second yellow card for an 86th minute challenge on Michael Rankine.

"I don't think either lad should have been sent off," said Hodgson. "There was nothing vicious about Brian Close's challenge and I think their lad was unlucky."

After conceding three against Boston and Rochdale before shipping four against Shrewsbury six days ago, Hodgson revealed his players were fired up.

He said: "It's been an horrendous week for us and any player who wasn't affected by our recent results shouldn't be in professional football.

"All credit to them because they were determined to go out and get a result. It was written all over their faces before and during the game.

"There was a lot more desire."

With the 4-0 defeat at struggling Shrewsbury still fresh in his mind, Hodgson added: "I had the privilege of watching the game on video and we did better than we thought. We were just punished left, right and centre.

"Today we allowed them shots on target, but the difference was Sam (Russell) dealt with them all. A little bit of luck went our way on occasions.

"The most important thing was we got in front and we were never going to give it up. I think that was down to the last week."

But where Quakers performed as individuals at Gay Meadow, their third straight 1-0 win at Glanford Park - and their first away victory since beating Hartlepool in 1964 - was a real team effort.

Adrian Webster drove Quakers forward from midfield with skipper Neil Maddison providing protection in front of the back-three.

It was from Webster's bursting run that Quakers almost took a 24th minute lead when Armstrong fired straight at Iron keeper Paul Musselwhite.

And after a clever move involving Webster, Armstrong and Gregorio, Clyde Wijnhard pulled the trigger on a ferocious effort over the cross-bar.

But it was the home side who should have broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark. After losing his marker on the edge of the area midfielder Richard Kell drove goalwards, only for his former Middlesbrough youth team-mate Russell to save well.

With seven minutes of the half remaining Scunthorpe were reduced to ten men. Butler was dismissed for bringing down Gregorio on the edge of the area. Scunthorpe protested he wasn't the last man, but all to no avail.

After a long delay, Wijnhard's resultant free-kick was straight at Musselwhite.

With half-time approaching Russell showed excellent reflexes to tip lone striker Paul Hayes' effort around the post.

With the extra man advantage Alun Armstrong secured all three points with his ninth of the season on the hour. While the Scunthorpe defenders stood still, expecting Neil Wainwright to run out of ground, inside the right-edge of the area, the former Sunderland winger squared for Armstrong to poke home the 100th goal of his career.

A heavy downpour and swirling winds gave Scunthorpe fans' hope the game would be abandoned, but they proved fruitless. Even when Quakers' spirits were dampened by Close' late dismissal, they never looked likely to surrender their advantage.

Result: Scunthorpe United 0 Darlington 1.

Read more about the Quakers here.