Micky Mellon: It was a rescue act for Town

Town clawed back a point with seconds left, five minutes into time added on, just as two errors looked to have ended their six-match unbeaten league run.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro's cross seemed to sail past goalkeeper Luke Daniels without anyone else touching it but fellow substitute Andy Mangan claimed it.

Earlier Sullay Kaikai gave Mellon's side a deserved 21st-minute lead.

It came in a half where Kyle Vassell missed a golden chance, Abu Ogogo went desperately close and Nathaniel Knight-Percival had a header cleared off the line.

But a mistake by Kaikai allowed sub Kyle Wootton to equalise on 69 minutes.

Then an awful backpass from Mat Sadler nine minutes later put the Iron on the attack and Paddy Madden grabbed his 19th goal of the season.

Boss Mellon commented: "I wouldn't say it was relief, but it's frustration and just fantastic fighting back from the lads.

"They showed different qualities again but certainly in the second half we never kept the ball well enough."

Mellon was disappointed with the goals Town conceded, adding: "We've got to learn lessons because the goals we gave away we were disappointed about.

"Every manager will say that but ours were a bit horrendous. They were self-inflicted - we gave the ball away.

"But I want the boys to pass the ball and keep it so I'll take my share of responsibility for that when we give the ball away.

"I trust them to keep the ball and gave away two goals that we were disappointed about.

"But they battled on and never went into their shells and we kept our run going - we nicked a draw at the end when some people had left the ground too early.

"I like that - that they missed the equaliser because it's a warning not to leave the ground too early as we've got a fit, young team and they will keep going to the end."

Mellon wasn't sure who got the final touch for the dramatic late equaliser, but was just happy to have got a point.

He said: "I saw Jean-Louis crossing it in and then I saw a lot of bodies getting across it and I just thought 'somebody get a touch on that' and we were delighted to pull a point from the fire."

Mellon also criticised referee Trevor Kettle for allowing too many free kicks against Town.

He said: "Scunthorpe went direct and there were too many free kicks that went against us when I believe they were 50-50 decisions, or the majority of them to us.

"That then allowed them to deliver balls from wherever deep in their half into our 18-yard box. It was just foul after foul against us which made it difficult for us.

"They're a big, physical team and we struggled to get out, but we've got to be better when we're challenging for those, I know that.

"We've got to win those knockdowns and then play."

Town played some of their best football in the first half when they were in control and Mellon was delighted with that part of their performance.

He said: "I thought we were excellent in the first-half. We played some brilliant, controlled football and I thought the closing down was excellent.

"We passed it well and showed loads of energy. I've got to remind myself that we'd come off the back of a lot of games.

"We've had a whole batch of Saturday-Tuesday matches, so I have to be fair to the players."

The draw put Town nine points clear of the drop zone with 10 games left and Mellon is happy with the turnaround, which has made it 15 points from the last 21 available.

He added: "If someone had said we'd come out of it with the tally of points they've come out of it with at the start of it, I think we'd have snapped their hand off."