KEITH Hill believes gamechanger Ryan Loft put the fear into relegation rivals Oldham Athletic.

Latics took the lead in the battle of the bottom two through teenager Benny Couto's first senior goal.

But Scunthorpe United, who had won only twice all season - and not at all away - came out fighting, with half-time substitute Loft influential in the turnaround.

The striker equalised soon after coming off the bench, then provided an assist for Myles Hippolyte, before putting the result beyond doubt with this second.

“Ryan’s been superb. He's done ever so well since I arrived here,” said Hill, who took charge of Scunthorpe in early November.

“He has been starting, but when you’re always looking for strike partnerships sometimes you have to change things around a bit.

“We certainly got that penetration I was after when he came on after half-time.

“It looked as though Oldham were quite scared of him if I’m honest.

“We know what he’s got in his locker – he just needs to bring it out more, and he knows that.

“He’s a very, very good player who just needs to perform with a bit more consistency.”

It was Hill's first win since succeeding Neil Cox at the Iron's helm.

“It was a great victory for the club. The players certainly deserved it," he added.

“We were toothless in the first half, but we did know which way we could get in against Oldham.

“They are a good footballing side on the eye, with a number of players who can attack, so we had to make we were good and efficient on the ball.

“We were exactly that in the second half – we stepped it up and took advantage where we should have done in the first half.”

DELIGHTED Scunthorpe boss Keith Hill saluted two-goal ‘supersub’ Ryan Loft after his side sunk drop rivals Oldham 3-1.

Loft came on after the interval with the Iron behind, and went on to score twice and provide an assist in what was the club’s first away win of the season.