A Paul Gallagher hat-trick inspired City to an emphatic win against struggling Scunthorpe as they scored five at the Walkers Stadium for the first time ever.

Michael Morrison headed the opener early on, two from Gallagher and one from Martyn Waghorn gave City a four-goal lead just past the half-hour and after the Iron had replied in the second half, Gallagher weighed in with his third to complete a brilliant City performance.

City made two changes from their midweek 0-0 draw here with Doncaster Rovers. Martyn Waghorn was brought in to replace the injured Matty Fryatt up front while Lloyd Dyer started for Dany N'Guessan who dropped to the bench.

The Foxes almost scored in the first minute, a Matt Oakley cross touched on by Dyer to Waghorn effort, who was denied by the keeper but , the Iron broke  immediately upfield and Chris Weale needed to make a great save from Gary Hooper.

But City were well in command and the opener came in the fifth minute. Richie Wellens was fouled in midfield and Waghorn's free-kick was brilliantly turned home by Michael Morrison.

A few minutes later, Dyer cut in from the left and sent his shot inches wide before City stretched their lead in fine style. Dyer and Oakley combined to lay the ball into the path of Gallagher who hammered the ball home with the aid of a slight deflection.

The Iron were not down and out yet, though, and in a good move, a Hooper shot was deflected for a corner from which saw Rob Jones tipped over by City 'keeper Chris Weale.

The scare was soon forgotten in the 24th minute when Dyer was fouled on the edge of the area and Gallagher swept home a glorious shot for his second and City's third. It was all City now,  and twice good runs by Dyer came close to creating another  goal but there was not long to wait for the fourth.

In the 33rd minute, Gallagher chased a through ball down the right to get his cross in. The ball only halfed cleared to Waghorn who gleefully blasted home, for his second goal against Scunthorpe in as many games.

The Iron were restricted to a couple of long-range efforts from Michael O'Connor and City then almost made it five in stoppage time, a cross from Berner on the overlap being flicked towards goal by Andy King with the keeper needing to make a smart save.

Right from the restart, City came forward again and a Gallagher cross drifted behind but they were briefly shaken in the 54th minute when a Paul Hayes shot took a huge deflection off Sam Togwell, the ball bouncing into the net with Weale already committed.

The visitors perked up and swept forward with a Hooper effort fired off-target. and a long period of Iron pressure was eventually eased with O'Connor shooting off target before City recovered their poise and domination of the game.

A Waghorn free-kick earned the first of two corners in succession then after a corner, Dyer sent his shot just too high.

City then completed the rout as a through ball by Wellens caught out the Iron defence and Gallagher neatly headed the ball over the stranded keeper to complete his hat-trick.

In fact, he could have grabbed another when,with the keeper out of goal, he swerved his long-range effort just wide of the mark, his last action before being substituted to a richly deserved standing ovation from the Blue Army.

City: Weale; Morrison, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley, A King, Wellens, Dyer, Gallagher, Waghorn. Subs: Logan, McGivern, Solano (60 for Morrison), Howard, N'Guessan (83 for Gallagher), Kermorgant (60 for Oakley), Bruce.

Scunthorpe: Murphy; Jones, Mirfin, Raynes, Williams, Togwell, McCann, O'Connor, J Wright, Hayes, Hooper. Subs: Lillis, A Wright, Morris, Sparrow, Woolford, McDermott, Forte.

Referee: D Phillips.

Attendance: 21,626