KANE Hemmings bagged a hat-trick to fire Oxford United into the Checkatrade Trophy quarter-finals in front of their lowest home crowd since 1990.

The hosts had to come from behind after Luke Williams’s penalty for Scunthorpe United, but from then on United’s changed side stepped up.

Joe Rothwell laid on quickfire goals for Marvin Johnson, starring again as an attacking left back, and Hemmings.

The latter added a penalty early in the second half and completed his haul in stoppage time on a night where several players pushed their claims for more regular starts.

Few were there to witness it, though. The gate of 1,383 was the lowest at United since a ZDS Trophy tie 27 years ago – and the club’s fourth lowest of all-time.

Indeed, when the 90 away fans were subtracted from the attendance, the figure was only one spectator fewer than United took to Rotherham United on Saturday.

While Michael Appleton’s side had excelled at the weekend, here they laboured early on.

Scunthorpe took advantage and went ahead in the 11th minute, when Williams scored from the penalty spot after he was adjudged to have been fouled by Phil Edwards.

Rothwell was among the fringe players brought into the side who struggled to pick out a teammate early on, but he then burst to life with two assists in four minutes.

Quick-thinking with a free-kick sent Johnson clear down the left and after looking up to see no-one in yellow had followed, the summer signing fired a low shot in off the far post.

Rothwell then pounced on a loose pass alongside the Scunthorpe box, which he surged into, shimmied past one defender and squared for Hemmings to finish neatly.

The Rothwell-Johnson combination on the left flank almost added a third goal on the half-hour mark.

This time Johnson freed the former Manchester United apprentice, who cut inside and curled a 20-yard shot which was palmed wide by goalkeeper Joe Anyon.

Scunthorpe, flying high in Sky Bet League One, eventually stirred themselves into action and finished the half on top.

U’s goalkeeper Simon Eastwood flapped at one corner, but centre back Charlie Goode was so surprised at the error he fired wide at the far post.

When Scunthorpe’s other centre back, Murray Wallace, found the target with a header on the stroke of half-time, Johnson was there to continue his good night by clearing off the line.

The break came at a good time for Oxford, who extended their lead five minutes after the restart.

Rob Hall jinked past two defenders before being brought down by Levi Sutton in the area.

With regular penalty-taker Chris Maguire on the bench, Hemmings took advantage to smash home his second goal of the night.

It should have quickly become 4-1. Anyon parried a fierce effort from Hall and when the ball came back into the box, Taylor’s shot fell to Rothwell, who skied from eight yards.

The game began to drift, until the crowd were awoken 15 minutes from time, when some of the floodlights failed.

Despite the gloom, the game continued.

A terrific save from Anyon denied Hemmings five minutes from the end, but the striker claimed the match ball in stoppage-time with a tap-in from substitute Maguire's cross.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Skarz, Johnson, Rothwell, Sercombe, Ruffels, Hall, Hemmings, Taylor.

Subs used: Maguire (Sercombe 73), Lundstram (Taylor 80), Carroll (Skarz 89).

Unused subs: Stevens, Nelson, Ledson, J Roberts.

Booked: Skarz.

Scunthorpe Utd (4-4-2): Anyon, Clarke, Wallace, Goode, Wiseman (Morris 63), Holmes, Mantom, Sutton, Williams, Davies (Hopper 65), van Veen (Margetts 56).

Unused subs: Daniels, Butroid, Wootton, Adelakun.

Booked: Clarke.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

Attendance: 1,383 (90 visitors).