Blue Army column by Steve Pumfrey: Paul Gallagher wins over Leicester City fans
It was the first time City had scored five goals since moving to the Walkers in 2002. The last time they managed a nap hand was in 2000 at Filbert Street when Stan Collymore's treble inspired a 5-2 win over Sunderland.
This was a technicolor game on a grey day. The Mexican wave last witnessed at the League One promotion party – against Saturday's opponents – was revived and manager Nigel Pearson, who does not really do crowd banter, waved at the Blue Army not once but twice.
Thousands of fans wore broad smiles at the end of the Championship clash and a young one among them, 14-year-old Kiea Warren, said: "It was awesome. The best Leicester match I've ever seen."
It is good to see the game through a young pair of eyes before the cynicism of too many false dawns starts to change a supporter's mindset.
As Paul Gallagher completed his hat-trick in the second half to make it 5-1, it was interesting to recall that all the pre-match talk in the Holiday Inn was about the player not on the team-sheet – a certain Matthew Charles Fryatt.
"I don't know who is going to score the goals," said one worried fan. "I think we need a loan signing quickly."
At the end of the one-sided contest, that same fan was joyously singing the praises of Gallagher. This game can make a fool of you sometimes. But he was not a voice alone because there were concerns about City's lack of goals – just one strike in three Championship matches at the Walkers this year before Saturday.
There were certainly fewer concerns about the defence. And, judging by the absence of any photographs of goalkeeper Chris Weale in the club shop, it appears he is fast becoming one of the most popular players at the Walkers, particularly following his Blackpool heroics.
Weale would have had time during the game on Saturday to sign a few autographs as City dominated and it was the Family Stand that saw four of the goals at close-hand as the Kop strained its neck to watch them fly in.
Michael Morrison set the mood for the day with an early header and the build-up to City's second goal brought gasps of admiration as the play switched seamlessly from left to right for Gallagher to sweep the ball home, courtesy of a useful deflection.
When Gallagher clipped in a free-kick and Martyn Waghorn made it 4-0, the 21,000-plus crowd were in Blue heaven. There were ironic cheers when Scunthorpe mustered a decent opportunity before half-time. but the visitors had been taken to the cleaners, particularly the Mitchell brother lookalikes, David Mirfin and Rob Jones, in central defence. More a comedy of errors than a soap, though.
During the interval, The Birch could hardly contain himself as he praised the passing and movement of the City players.
Two blokes behind were trying to work out how Scunthorpe could stop the rot. "He'll have to make substitutions," said one.
"Can he change all 11?" said his mate.
Instead, Scunthorpe stayed with the same 11 and gamely tried to make inroads into a lost cause with Paul Hayes reducing the deficit marginally.
Pearson did not want the momentum to drop and sent on Nobby Solano and Yann Kermorgant with the Blue Army able to get a first decent look at the Peruvian international.
Solano's fizzing shot just over the crossbar signalled his intention to make the most of his chance.
But all the love was for Gallagher on the eve of Valentine's Day. He has taken a bit of time to win over the City fans but they were out of their seats to celebrate as a looping back-header clinched his hat-trick and he almost grabbed a fourth before leaving to a standing ovation.
"Are you watching Nottingham?" was the Kop cry with Forest next up for City at home.
They will need to keep up the momentum on the road this week at Bristol and Plymouth and the fans will be doing a lot of travelling.
They will have the Scunthorpe memories to keep them awake.
Paul Gallagher's second goal
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