Veteran front-man Robbie Fowler netted his first hat-trick in over four years to ensure Manchester City survived an FA Cup scare against League One Scunthorpe.

Trailing at the break to Andy Keogh's well-taken 16th-minute opener, City looked like becoming the unhappy victims of yet another cup shock.

But Fowler, handed his first start of a season many expect to be his last as a City player, turned the game on its head with a 16-minute treble to send the Blues into the fourth round.

It was his first three-goal salvo since his Leeds days, although whether it will be enough to earn the former England star another contract in the summer, or even the chance to add to his meagre two Premiership appearances for City this term remains to be seen.

But manager Stuart Pearce will be pretty grateful for Fowler's intervention, which prevented the drama of collecting one point from four games over the festive period turning into a full-blown crisis.

The one major scar on Pearce's first nine months in charge of the Blues was the dismal Carling Cup defeat at Doncaster in September.

It was the kind of cup humiliation long-standing City fans have grown used to down the years.

Halifax, Shrewsbury, Blackpool and Notts County have all accounted for the north-west giants in knockout combat and at the same stage only 12 months ago, City made a pitiful exit at Oldham.

Even so, most of the 6,500 visiting fans made their way across the Pennines more in hope than expectation of Scunthorpe adding their name to the list of City slayers because, while they may only have two wins from their last 10 games but under Pearce the Blues have been given greater resolve and more purpose.

Sadly, those attributes were totally lacking from a disastrous opening half from which City were fortunate to emerge with any chance of saving their skin.

It was not that the hosts were outplayed. They definitely enjoyed a greater percentage of possession and territory, it was just that they did absolutely nothing with it.

Trevor Sinclair raced up and down the touchline to no great effect and Fowler was looking ineffective.

His only opportunity of the first half came seconds before Scunthorpe scored, when Joey Barton rolled a pass into his path. Striding forward with confidence, Fowler appeared certain to score. But his shot flashed just wide of the post, a mistake the visitors quickly punished.

Keogh had already identified himself as a man to watch and when Billy Sharp expertly dummied Cliff Byrne's through-ball, the young Dubliner was onto it like a flash.

With Richard Dunne appealing in vain for offside, Keogh burst forward as Fowler had done just before. This time though, the finish was clinical, under the advancing David James and into the net.

Had Keogh shown a little bit more composure when former City favourite Peter Beagrie found him inside the area with a quickly-taken free-kick, Scunthorpe would have doubled their lead.

Instead, the teenager allowed Sylvain Distin to cut out a cross which should have presented Sharp with a tap-in. The hosts were off the hook and Fowler exacted his retribution.

Scunthorpe boss Brian Laws must have stressed how important the first 10 minutes of the second period would be to his team's chances of sealing victory. By the time they had reached that point, City were already in front.

Fowler will get all the glory but the abrupt change in fortune owed much to Pearce's decision to introduce the direct wing play of Lee Croft.

The youngster wasted no time in running at the Scunthorpe defence, inducing a hesitancy which has previously not existed.

When he took on Byrne inside the area, the full-back had no answer, the cut-back rolled to Fowler and City were on their way.

Another of the Blues young stars, Stephen Ireland, was set up the second with a square pass. This time, Fowler had much more to do but after delaying his shot and creating a bit of room for himself on the edge of the area, the former England star produced a clinical finish which flicked in off a post.

Having got the double, there was only one man going to take the spot-kick when Michael Rose handled inside the area and Fowler exuded the calmness of his most predatory days as he rolled the penalty in.

Teams:

Man City James, Onuoha (Croft 45), Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Sinclair, Barton, Jihai, Ireland, Fowler, Sibierski (Wright-Phillips 69).

Subs Not Used: Sommeil, Cole, De Vlieger.

Goals: Fowler 48, 56, 64 pen.

Scunthorpe Evans, Byrne (Sparrow 61), Crosby, Hinds, Rose, Taylor (Goodwin 71), Baraclough, MacKenzie, Beagrie (Torpey 62), Keogh, Sharp.

Subs Not Used: Musselwhite, Butler.

Booked: Crosby.

Goals: Keogh 17.

Att: 27,779

Ref: A Hall (W Midlands).