But for those who were at Glandford Park to witness this predictable encounter the name of Paul Alcock will be indelibly engraved in their memory.

The one time Premier League referee, who gained notoriety when he was pushed to the ground by Paulo Di Canio, inexplicably found sufficient cause to send off three Carlisle players in the space of nine minutes and reduce the game to an absolute farce.

Scunthorpe didn’t really need Mr Alcock’s help as the Cumbrian defence had already gifted them two goals by failing to close players down.

Tony Hopper was the first to go on 56 minutes for a second yellow card following a shove on Lee Hodges. Two minutes later Mark Birch went in strongly on Hodges, who went to ground as if shot by a snipers bullet, the wing back getting a straight red card for his trouble. With 65 minutes gone Darren Carr made it a hat trick of red cards after the Irons Kevin Rapley made the most of an off the ball tussle in front of the assistant referee.

All three incidents would normally have received no more than a ticking off from the referee but Carlisle manager Ian Atkins will have to wait for the referee’s report to unravel the mystery.

An angry Atkins said after the game: “You can only ask for consistency from referees. An incident in the first half when Torpey elbowed Scott Dobie and the referee only had a word with him. Then Ian Stevens was kicked on the floor and the referee says nothing and then Dobie is elbowed again on the far side, the referee does nothing again and books Scott Dobie for acting. I have got to be careful what I say but at the end of the day they don’t answer to anybody and if you look at that today and you can’t tell me that was one sided I’ll eat my hat.”

In difficult blustery conditions early chances were at a premium, with 24 minutes passing before Scunthorpe’s new signing Martin Carruthers had the first attempt on goal, shooting over from Bjarni Larusson’s through ball closely followed by another Carruthers shot pulled wide.

The home side took the lead on 28 minutes when Matthew Sparrow was allowed to cut inside before hitting a right foot shot which took a wicked bounce over the hands the of diving Matty Glennon, into the bottom corner.

Torpey and Sparrow both went close before Lee Maddison had Carlisle’s first chance on 34 minutes, latching onto a partial clearance only to shoot over the bar.

Five minutes later a Hodges diagonal run and shot had Glennon at full stretch to make the save.

Lee Maddison then went close in first half injury time, his 25 yard free kick being saved by Tommy Evans.

Scunthorpe increased their lead five minutes into the second half when Carruthers got his first goal for the club when heading home a Hodges cross.

Following the sendings off Carlisle were reduced to a damage limitation exercise, substitute Steve Halliday being sacrificed for defender Mark Winstanley.

Ironically the Cumbrians still found time to get forward with Dave Morley hitting the bar with a deft chip from 40 yards.

Scunthorpe hit the woodwork three times through Graves, Torpey and Wilcox before finally getting their third on 78 minutes. Carl Heggs attempted clearance was charged down by Wayne Graves to leave Torpey free at the far post to beat Glennon from six yards.

The points were now well and truly gone but the controversy will linger a little longer.

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