SCUNTHORPE UNITED boss Paul Hurst has praised Forest Green in the wake of alleged racist comments directed to player Jordan Clarke during his side’s 2-0 victory.

Referee John Busby halted the game midway through the second-half and spoke to Hurst and Forest Green head coach Mark Cooper. A minute after this, an announcement over the PA system at the stadium said that there had been reports of racist language in the East Stand.

Hurst said: "I wondered what was going on initially and then the referee came over and said the fourth official had been made aware of a racist comment towards Jordan Clarke. The referee said there was no plans to stop the game at that time.

"I mentioned about an announcement, which later followed, and helped everyone in the stadium. There was then a lot of sympathy and understanding about halting the game.

"Some of the Forest Green fans were singing towards the individual who made the comment that it is unacceptable, and we all know that.

"Forest Green have been very good after the game, and reported it to the FA and if they find the individual he will be dealt with.

"Forest Green have had a lot of press for the way they do things. There is a lot of good that goes on here and I don't think one individual reflects Forest Green. They have been excellent with their help and dealing with the situation."

Meanwhile, Cooper declined to comment on the incident, but felt his side paid for Matty Stevens' early second half penalty miss.

Cooper said: “We didn’t do too much wrong. We played well first half, should have been in front, we missed a penalty.

“Then we paid for that. The boys are going great we just have to keep going.

“It was a blatant penalty, he pulled him back. I can’t have too many complaints with the players.

“They have done really, really well we are in the top three we have to keep going."

Rovers are without a home win in four games but still sit in the automatic promotion places.

He added: “It is frustrating but we are not going to get too uptight about it. We know there will be a win around the corner.

“The penalty changed the game but I am not going to berate my player for missing it. He’s an honest boy who works his socks off. Fair play to the keeper for standing up.

“We are going brilliantly well, we want to continue.”

Earlier, Scunthorpe stretched their winning streak to five games with sumptuous second-half strikes from Alex Gilhead and Abo Eisa after Stevens had missed a spot-kick chance to put Forest Green ahead.

Rovers dominated a dour first-half, punctuated by a moment of succinct fluidity – Liam Shephard and Jack Aitchison traded passes for Farrend Rawson to arrow in a strike, which Roy McArdle cleared off the line on 19 minutes.

Rovers looked odds-on to break the deadlock but Stevens contrived to lift the ball over Jake Eastwood and onto the top of the bar with 29 minutes on the clock.

Scunthorpe broke the stalemate on 57 minutes. Gilliead was afforded time and space to run unhindered and spank beyond Lewis Thomas from the edge of the box.

And Eisa made it 2-0 on 71 minutes as his howitzer from 25 yards flew into the top corner.

Scunthorpe’s Levi Sutton was sent off in stoppage-time.