Scunthorpe boosted their survival hopes with a slender victory at home against play-off-chasing Plymouth Argyle.

Ian Morris scored the winning goal 10 minutes after half-time, playing a neat one-two with Geoff Horsfield and seeing his shot deflected in off a defender.

Jim Goodwin forced an early save from keeper Luke McCormick as the Iron pressed, before Jamie Mackie was twice denied as Plymouth surged forward.

Argyle's hopes ended when McCormick was dismissed for deliberate handball.

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Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins:
"We had a poor performance at the weekend against Hull City and we needed to bounce back.

"In difficult conditions I thought my players were magnificent, as they have been for most of this season.

"We might have had a bit of fortune with the goal but we have deserved some luck after decisions which have gone against us this season."

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock:
"We did better with 10 men than we did with 11.

"Our whole psyche seems to have changed and for some reason we want to play differently to the way we did when he had our run of success.

"We didn't show urgency in the early stages and didn't play our game."

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Scunthorpe: Murphy, Butler, Crosby (Hobbs 26), Iriekpen, Baraclough, Cork, Goodwin, McCann, Morris, Horsfield (May 84), Paterson (Weston 88).
Subs Not Used: Lillis, Hayes.

Goals: Morris 55.

Plymouth: McCormick, Connolly, Seip, Anderson, Hodges, Clark (Teale 59), Nalis (Wotton 67), Abdou, Halmosi, MacLean, Mackie (Fallon 75).
Subs Not Used: Easter, Sawyer.

Sent Off: McCormick (71).

Booked: Anderson.

Att: 4,920.

Ref: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).