SUPER-SUB Eoin Doyle proved the hero for Latics, effectively sealing all three points after a frenetic five-minute spell saw Richie Wellens’ men claim victory late in the game.

The Preston loanee, finally back from his blood clot nightmare, latched on to a brave through ball to finish coolly in trademark fashion on 83 minutes. That followed Jack Byrne’s effort which hit debutant Patrick McEleney and looped home.

When fellow substitute Aaron-Amadi Holloway managed to play in Doyle on halfway, initial thoughts weren’t good. Holloway took a nasty knock in making the pass and went down clutching an ankle.

And though it meant Athletic – having made all three changes at that stage – would as good as see this one out with 10-men, it didn’t matter.

Doyle went past two defenders with ease before drilling a low shot beyond Matt Gilks in the Iron goal to send a hardy bunch of die-hard away fans into raptures.

Holloway stayed on but was nothing more than a passenger after going through the pain barrier to tee-up the talisman.

Wellens made one change to the side which beat MK Dons 1-0 last time out with Wilfried Moimbe returning after a one-match ban in place of Gevaro Nepomuceno at left-back.

But the big news was among the list of substitutes where Doyle’s name made the team sheet for the first time since December. Rob Hunt was also included on a bench strong enough to give the Beast from the East a run for its money.

With a tasty treat in store, it’s worth noting the main refreshment area at Glanford Park is called The Iron Bar. I get it.

And the mascot is a bloke dressed in a rabbit costume who goes by the name of Scunny Bunny.

They have a sense of humour at Scunthorpe alright.

When club officials declared this match would go ahead as planned, fans back home could have been forgiven for thinking it was some kind of joke.

Diabolical weather proved no match for spirited ground staff and volunteers here who worked their wellies off to get this game on – one of only three to beat the weather in League One.

Scunthorpe manager Graham Alexander personally helped out – and brewed up – for anyone with a shovel, then handed out free tickets. He might be thinking better of it now.

As fresh as the Athletic squad must have been after 18 days without competitive action, they started in sluggish fashion and were under pressure early on.

Josh Morris dragged a half-chance wide after a flurry of corners from the left put the visitors under the cosh. Fleet-footed Hakeeb Adelakun was next to go close when he forced Johny Placide to save with his legs.

A lack of matches was exactly why Athletic took so long to settle. It’s not easy to dance the Macarena when you’ve not practised the moves for a while.

When they did, the game momentarily threatened to warm up as a contest – even if temperatures in this part of North Lincolnshire didn’t.

Byrne’s defence-splitting pass deserved a better finish from Duckens Nazon just after the half-hour mark but the striker, on-loan from Wolves, made a hash of his shot at goal as it ballooned high and wide.

Latics had a let-off two minutes before half time when – in a rare moment of excitement – a right-wing cross from Adelakun saw Tom Hopper thump a header against the crossbar with Placide beaten.

In truth, this was turning into a miserable, drab encounter. Only Athletic’s tangerine shirts offered any brightness . . . until changes were ultimately made.

Latics would soon be dancing the McEleney.

Wellens was growing increasingly frustrated on the touchline with much of his ire aimed in the direction of Byrne who had been guilty of some poor decision-making on the ball.

Byrne is undoubtedly an emerald of a talent in a side which now has Irish passion running through it, but can be so frustrating when he fails to showcase such a gift on a consistent basis.

When an off-balance Davies spurned the chance to volley Athletic ahead with the goal at his mercy, the boss switched things around with first McEleney on for his debut before Doyle – and Amadi-Holloway – were introduced, much to the delight of the travelling fans.

Byrne escaped the hook, which was just as well, as it was the – albeit misfiring – midfield maestro who played a big part in putting Latics ahead. His shot took a huge deflection off substitute McEleney’s back to loop over Gilks in the Scunthorpe goal on 78 minutes.

Then came Doyle’s moment of magic.

They played Bob Marley's classic “Iron Lion Zion” over the loudspeaker as the players left the field. Latics had all the pride.

It’s a funny old game.

LATICS (4-1-3-2): Placide, Dummigan, Moimbe, Gerrard, Bryan; Fane; Gardner, Pringle (McEleney 58), Byrne; Nazon (Amadi-Holloway 63), Davies (Doyle 63) Subs (not used): De la Paz, Wilson, McLaughlin, Hunt. Booked: Gerrard.

SCUNTHORPE (4-4-1-1): Gilks, Wallace (Townsend 72), Bishop, Burgess, McArdle; Adelakun (Williams 64), Ojo, Yates, Morris; Holmes; Hopper (McGeehan 87). Subs (not used): Watson, Lewis, Goode, Sutton. Booked: Williams.

Attendance: 3,715 Referee: John Busby.