SWINDON Town started the new League Two season with a win as second-half goals from Jerry Yates and Keshi Anderson earned victory away at Scunthorpe United this afternoon.

Both goals came as a result of ruthless counter-attacks as summer loan signing Yates marked his Town debut with the opener just before the hour mark at Glanford Park before Anderson doubled the lead 10 minutes later.

Anderson’s strike capped a fine performance from a player who manager Richie Wellens has previously stated he is open to offloading, and the forward's jubilant celebrations in front of the large number of travelling Town fans was noticeable.

Yates, meanwhile, was amongst six of Wellens’ 10 summer signings to be given their debuts from kick-off – with the other four all on the bench – as Rob Hunt, Zeki Fryers, Mathieu Baudry, Jordan Lyden and Lloyd Isgrove were also named in the starting XI.

Given the overhaul he has overseen this summer and the stiff challenge of this opener against an Iron side who were playing League One football last term, Wellens and the Swindon supporters will travel home with plenty of reason for optimism over their side’s chances this season.

Scunthorpe were the better side in the first half and a set-piece led to their first sight of goal inside three minutes as Yann Songo’o headed an Adam Hammill free-kick wide inside the six-yard box after Dion Conroy abruptly halted Alex Gillead’s run midway inside the Town half.

Town then had their maiden opportunity when a good ball over the top from Isgrove had the home defence worried but Yates could not quite bring it under control after catching the Iron back-line napping with his dart in behind.

Chances did not come at a rapid pace and the first two saves for Luke McCormick were comfortable ones. First, the Swindon stopper gathered Lee Novak’s flicked header before McCormick easily caught Hammill’s speculative half-volley from 25 yards.

Scunthorpe were beginning to up the ante, though, and Hammill was denied again just after the half-hour mark as he saw a shot blocked superbly on the line by Lyden.

The Iron will have been wondering how they did not get themselves in front two minutes before the break as another goalline clearance and the woodwork thwarted them in quick succession.

Baudry was the man in the right place for Town this time to block a goalbound header from Songo’o before Matthew Lund’s follow-up effort cannoned off the post and away to safety.

Swindon survived and then – having failed to muster up a shot of note in the regulation 45 minutes – almost grabbed an unlikely lead themselves as the first half ticked over into stoppage time.

Home keeper Jake Eastwood could only push away Anderson’s dipping 25-yard free-kick and Isgrove whipped the ball back into the box where Baudry and Yates were hesitant to react and Scunthorpe managed to hook the ball away to end the first period all-square.

Town started the second half quickly and were appealing for a penalty within a minute of the restart when Anderson went down softly in the box, although referee Will Finnie was not interested in the appeals.

The resulting corner found its way to Kaiyne Woolery at the back post but he snatched at his shot and sent it tamely wide.

The game began to really open up, with play flowing quickly from either end but then breaking down as possession reached the penalty area.

That all changed just before the hour mark when Swindon broke the deadlock courtesy of a ruthless counter-attack.

Scunthorpe’s Kgosi Ntlhe whipped a dangerous free-kick into the Town box from the left but the ball was hooked clear, where Isgrove gathered near halfway and race forward. He then fed Yates, who skipped into the box and around Iron keeper Eastwood before calmly rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Town had the bit between the teeth and Anderson tried his luck with a low effort from the edge of the box soon afterwards but Eastwood got down well to save.

Anderson did not have to wait long for his goal, though, and doubled the visitors lead on the 70-minute mark after another rapid counter.

After another Scunthorpe attack broke up, the ball came to Woolery just inside the Town half and he powered forward before offloading to Anderson, who was able to beat Eastwood on the angle.

Anderson was back in the action again soon afterwards and a mazy run ended with a driven low shot that Eastwood did well to save low to his right.

At the other end, McCormick still had to keep his wits about him and he was alert to tip Novak’s looping backward header over the bar following Ryan Colclough’s free-kick from the left.

The Iron continued to pummel balls into the Swindon box in the closing stages but other than Ntlhe lashing an effort wide following a corner, the visitors resolutely held firm to ensure they began the season in perfect fashion.

SCUNTHORPE UNITED (4-1-4-1): Eastwood; Clarke, Butler (c), McGahey, Ntlhe; Songo’o (Wootton 68); Gilliead, Lund, Slater (van Veen 84), Hammill (Colclough 76); Novak. Subs not used: Watson, Hallam, McArdle, McAtee.

SWINDON TOWN (4-2-3-1): McCormick; Hunt, Conroy (c), Baudry, Fryers; Lyden, Doughty; Anderson (Ballard 88), Isgrove (Jaiyesimi 90+3), Woolery; Yates. Subs not used: Henry, Reid, May, Twine, Curran.

Referee: Will Finnie

Attendance: 4,135