Walsall 1 Scunthorpe 3 - analysis

Fans proclaimed him their saviour. The manager labelled him an enigma. Yet Ishmel Demontagnac may not have a say in the matter much longer.

A 70th-minute sub, Demontagnac lasted eight minutes before a swipe at David Mirfin saw him sent off as Walsall bowed out of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Arms aloft in exasperation, manager Jimmy Mullen turned to the crowd as if to say 'what can I do?' Chastised for not selecting the 20-year-old sooner, Mullen had every right to feel aggrieved at the attacker's petulance.

It will give rise to speculation over Demontagnac's Saddlers future – something Mullen would not be drawn on afterwards.

Missing from the last three squads, the striker was thrust into a game that so obviously needed the spark he can provide. He offered little to suggest he can handle the expectation or be the Saddlers' knight in shining armour.

Not that the dismissal was the turning point. Scunthorpe were already dominant at 2-1 ahead thanks to Gary Hooper and, up against ten men, they merely switched on to cruise control.

Kevan Hurst's injury-time effort just confirmed the visitors' superiority.

Outcasts Rhys Weston and Demontagnac had returned to the squad but with Mullen able to name seven substitutes in the FA Cup it would have been a cursory invite rather than a necessity.

While their inclusion may have been newsworthy, just one change from the abject midweek loss to Luton was even more surprising.

Sofiene Zaaboub started his first match since September in place of Paul Boertien. With Marco Reich also having been cast aside in recent weeks, the German will wonder how badly his team-mates have to play for him to warrant inclusion.

One win in eight games also has fans understandably worried. The attendances at the Banks's in the last two home outings have hovered around 2,000 only.

Granted, cup games are always likely to draw lower attendances, but the growing apathy among supporters is tangible. While cries for the manager's head are premature, the pot is simmering.

The manner in which they were beaten by a hard-working Scunthorpe side will have done little to improve confidence, despite Michael Ricketts giving the Saddlers a first-half lead.

The goal, in the 25th minute, had come against the run of play and the visitors would have been left cursing their earlier profligacy.

A ninth-minute mistake by Stephen Roberts saw Paul Hayes race clear but, instead of shooting he teed up Hooper, whose close-range effort looped off the sprawling Clayton Ince.

Just as Hooper looked set to head into an empty net, Roberts recovered to head behind. But his mistake set the tone for a nightmare afternoon for the defender.

Five minutes later and Ricketts almost put the hosts ahead when he turned over Chris Palmer's corner before Scunthorpe began to press.

Hayes was foiled by an onrushing Ince as Scunthorpe went close but they were punished went Ricketts nabbed his seventh goal of the season.

A corner was only half cleared and when the ball was worked to Anthony Gerrard his deflected cross was turned in with some style by Ricketts from 16 yards.

The classy finish had given Walsall the lead but there was little else to cheer in the subsequent 65 minutes. Walsall simply sat back and invited the visitors on. It was an invitation the Iron, top of League One, were hardly unlikely to refuse.

Grant McCann and Hayes were both denied by Ince with the Iron having plenty of possession. The lively Hooper and Hayes, with 17 goals between them going into the game, were an increasing nuisance with Roberts struggling.

The duo had tested the waters before Hooper struck a well-deserved equaliser in the 42nd minute. Cliff Byrne threaded a low ball to the former Southend striker, who turned and fired under Ince at an angle. It was a fine goal but Ince should have done better.

The keeper redeemed himself to stop the visitors taking a half-time lead when he raced off his line to deny Hooper, who had been sent clear by Sam Togwell.

The break failed to yield any let up from Scunthorpe, who demonstrated all the industry and cohesion that the Saddlers lacked.

If the visitors were indebted to former Walsall loanee Joe Murphy, who saved well from Ricketts early in the second half, from then on the Iron took charge.

On 58 minutes, Hooper claimed his second as the Saddlers sunk deeper into the mire. Martyn Woolford marched forward and slipped a neat ball to Hooper, who advanced on Ince to slide a shot into the corner with unerring ease.

Matt Sparrow almost added a third soon after as he turned Hayes' ball over as Scunthorpe threatened to run riot.

Changes were called for and ensued on 70 minutes when Mullen threw on Demontagnac and Alex Nicholls for the anonymous Zaaboub and Troy Deeney.

Eight minutes later and Demontagnac was walking after he allegedly threw and elbow in the direction of Mirfin.

Any hopes of recovering departed with Demontagnac and Hooper would have claimed the match ball, if it had not been for Ince's fine save.

Scunthorpe were not to be denied a third to add a more realistic look to the scoreline, when Hurst cut in from the left in injury-time and found the top corner from 18 yards.