Preview: Leyton Orient (A)

12 March 2021

The Iron travel to Leyton Orient on Saturday (1pm kick-off), looking to make it three away games without defeat after four points on the road last week.

Club News

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13 March 2021

SCENE-SETTER...

United come into the game following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat against promotion-chasing Exeter City in midweek, but the side had taken four points from the Grecians' fellow high-flyers Cambridge United and Salford City in the two games prior.

It means Neil Cox's side have only suffered defeat in three of the last nine games, and they'll be looking for another away success at the home of the O's.

The Iron have won two and drawn one of the last four games on their travels, beating Colchester United and the U's on the road in recent weeks.

A win on Saturday could lift Neil Cox's side up as high as 15th, while a draw or victory will see the Iron break through the 40-point barrier.

TEAM NEWS...

Centre-back Harrison McGahey's scan on Tuesday revealed a thigh problem isn't as bad as first feared, but the club will take caution before putting him back into the side. The former Rochdale man will be assessed before the squad travel to the capital on Friday.

Defender George Taft continues to miss the next two months with an ankle injury, which effectively rules him out for the remainder of the season.

Striker Ryan Loft returned in midweek following a recent thigh problem but came off with an ankle issue and is rated at 50-50 ahead of the game, while centre-back Emmanuel Onariase continues to miss out with a groin problem but is set to return to training on Saturday.

Striker Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) has had a fresh setback and could miss the rest of the season, while fellow forward Olufela Olomola is back training following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November, but Cox says he needs to practice match game time to get match fitness up first. He played 80 minutes in a behind-closed-doors game against Doncaster a fortnight back.

Midfielder George Hornshaw and goalkeeper Adam Kelsey are both expected to be out for a couple of months following ankle surgery.

THE OPPOSITION...

Leyton Orient come into the game off the back of a goalless draw at the Breyer Group Stadium against Stevenage in midweek.

That result saw them bounce back from a disappointing 4-0 defeat to the Iron's midweek opponents last Saturday.

The O's have recently parted company with manager Ross Embleton, with Jobi McAnuff currently in interim charge of the side. He's been in control for their last three games, winning one, drawing one and losing the other.

They sit 14th in the table on 43 points, with a victory against United potentially pushing them up one place. A win for Scunthorpe would see the gap between the two sides closed to just one point.

McAnuff, despite starting the majority of games under Embleton, hasn't put himself in his matchday squad since taking temporary charge of the side. Meanwhile, Danny Johnson is their top goalscorer with 16 goals from his 32 appearances so far this season. Conor Wilkinson is second in those charts with eight strikes in the same number of games, while McAnuff is third with three goals from 33 appearances.

PAST MEETINGS...

We met at the Sands Venue Stadium earlier in the season where the Iron recorded a 2-0 win against the O's.

It was a slow start for United, who could have found themselves a goal behind after just five minutes but for a penalty save from Mark Howard as he denied Danny Johnson. Goals from Ryan Loft and Alfie Beestin secured three points for Scunthorpe on the day.

United also won the last meeting at the Breyer Group Stadium by the same scoreline with Alex Gilliead and Lee Novak scoring spectacular goals in a 2-0 win.

This fixture dates back to over 60 years ago, where the two sides met for the first time on September 13th, 1958, with the match finishing 2-1 to Orient.

However, it’s the Iron who edge the head-to-head record, having won 22 of the 57 match-ups between them. Across the 57, Orient have emerged winners 16 times, with 19 of the clashes ending in a draw.

SEASON/DATE	COMPETITION	RESULT	IRON SCORERS
2020-21 - Sat Dec 5	LG 2	Iron 2-0 Orient	Loft, Beestin
2019-20 - Sat Nov 16	LG 2	Orient 0-2 Iron	Gilliead, Novak
2015-16 - Tue Dec 15	FACR2 R	Iron 3-0 Orient	Mvoto og, King, Adelakun
2015-16 - Sat Dec 5	FACR2	Orient 0-0 Iron
2014-15 - Sat Jan 31	LG 1	Orient 1-4 Iron	O'Neil, McSheffrey, Hopper 2
2014-15 - Sat Sep 20	LG 1	Iron 1-2 Orient	Sparrow
2012-13 - Fri Mar 29	LG 1	Iron 2-1 Orient	Sodje, Canavan
2012-13 - Sat Dec 15	LG 1	Orient 1-3 Iron	Ribeiro, Hawley, Mozika
2011-12 - Sat Feb 18	LG 1	Orient 1-3 Iron	Walker, Barcham, Parkin
2011-12 - Sat Oct 8	LG 1	Iron 2-3 Orient	Barcham 2
2008-09 - Sat Jan 24	LG 1	Iron 2-1 Orient	Hayes, Thompson
2008-09 - Sat Oct 4	LG 1	Orient 2-2 Iron	Iriekpen, Hayes
2006-07 - Sat Mar 24	LG 1	Orient 2-2 Iron	MacKenzie, Sharp
2006-07 - Sat Oct 28	LG 1	Iron 3-1 Orient	Sharp 2, Sparrow
2004-05 - Sat Feb 19	LG 2	Iron 1-0 Orient	Keogh
2004-05 - Sat Oct 30	LG 2	Orient 1-1 Iron	Torpey
2003-04 - Sat Mar 27	DIV 3	Iron 1-1 Orient	Sparrow
2003-04 - Sat Sep 20	DIV 3	Orient 1-1 Iron	Kell
2002-03 - Sat Jan 11	DIV 3	Iron 2-1 Orient	Sparrow, Kilford
2002-03 - Sat Aug 17	DIV 3	Orient 2-0 Iron
2001-02 - Mon Apr 1	DIV 3	Orient 0-0 Iron
2001-02 - Sat Nov 3	DIV 3	Iron 4-1 Orient	Torpey 2, Hodges, Beagrie
2000-01 - Tue Feb 20	DIV 3	Iron 1-1 Orient	Hodges
2000-01 - Tue Sep 12	DIV 3	Orient 1-1 Iron	Hodges
1998-99 - Sat May 29	DIV 3 PO F	Iron 1-0 Orient	Garcia
1998-99 - Sat Mar 20	DIV 3	Iron 2-0 Orient	Garcia, Forrester
1998-99 - Sat Oct 31	DIV 3	Orient 1-0 Iron
1997-98 - Tue Apr 21	DIV 3	Orient 1-0 Iron
1997-98 - Sat Aug 16	DIV 3	Iron 1-0 Orient	Forrester
1996-97 - Sat Mar 29	DIV 3	Iron 1-2 Orient	Forrester
1996-97 - Sat Aug 17	DIV 3	Orient 0-1 Iron	Clarkson
1995-96 - Mon Apr 8	DIV 3	Orient 0-0 Iron
1995-96 - Sat Oct 21	DIV 3	Iron 2-0 Orient	Hope, Paterson
1988-89 - Sat May 13	DIV 4	Orient 4-1 Iron	Taylor
1988-89 - Sat Nov 12	DIV 4	Iron 2-2 Orient	Daws 2
1987-88 - Sat Feb 13	DIV 4	Iron 3-2 Orient	Harle 2, Shearer
1987-88 - Mon Dec 28	DIV 4	Orient 1-1 Iron	Harle
1986-87 - Tue Feb 10	DIV 4	Iron 0-2 Orient
1986-87 - Sat Sep 13	DIV 4	Orient 3-1 Iron	Birch
1985-86 - Sat Mar 8	DIV 4	Iron 2-2 Orient	Whitehead, Cammack
1985-86 - Sat Oct 5	DIV 4	Orient 3-0 Iron
1983-84 - Tue May 1	DIV 3	Iron 3-1 Orient	Graham 2, Parkinson
1983-84 - Fri Sep 9	DIV 3	Orient 1-0 Iron
1967-68 - Sat Mar 16	DIV 3	Orient 2-1 Iron	Heath
1967-68 - Sat Oct 21	DIV 3	Iron 1-1 Orient	Foxon
1966-67 - Fri Dec 30	DIV 3	Iron 2-2 Orient	Sloan, Barton
1966-67 - Sat Aug 27	DIV 3	Orient 3-1 Iron	Ash
1963-64 - Sat Mar 14	DIV 2	Orient 2-2 Iron	Wilson, Mason
1963-64 - Tue Oct 1	DIV 2	Iron 0-0 Orient
1961-62 - Sat Apr 14	DIV 2	Orient 0-1 Iron
1961-62 - Fri Nov 24	DIV 2	Iron 0-2 Orient
1960-61 - Sat Dec 31	DIV 2	Orient 2-1 Iron	Bonson
1960-61 - Sat Aug 27	DIV 2	Iron 2-2 Orient	Thomas 2
1959-60 - Sat Apr 16	DIV 2	Iron 2-1 Orient	Bakes, Brownsword
1959-60 - Sat Dec 12	DIV 2	Orient 1-1 Iron	Haigh
1958-59 - Sat Jan 31	DIV 2	Iron 2-0 Orient	Harburn, Waldock
1958-59 - Sat Sep 13	DIV 2	Orient 2-1 Iron	Waldock

	SCUNTHORPE WINS	DRAWS	ORIENT WINS
League	21	18	16
Cup	1	1	0
Total	22	19	16

ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Carlisle United v Bradford City (3pm)
Crawley Town v Mansfield Town (3pm)
Exeter City v Cheltenham Town (3pm)
Forest Green Rovers v Harrogate Town (3pm)
Morecambe v Newport County (3pm)
Oldham Athletic v Cambridge United (3pm)
Port Vale v Bolton Wanderers (3pm)
Southend United v Stevenage (3pm)
Grimsby Town v Colchester United (5.30pm)

Match Reports

Report: Leyton Orient 1-1 Iron

13 March 2021

United were held to a 1-1 draw for the second away game in succession, this time at Leyton Orient.

Ryan Loft opened the scoring from close range in the early stages, but Ouss Cisse equalised later in the first half for the O's.

The Iron went into the game at the Breyer Group Stadium making four changes from the team that lost to Exeter City in midweek, as Alex Gilliead, Kevin van Veen, Junior Brown and Jordan Hallam came in for Abo Eisa, Devarn Green, Mason O'Malley and Myles Hippolyte.

With four minutes gone, Gilliead cleared forward with a ball aiming for Loft. The frontman almost got the benefit of the bounce, but Dan Happe did well to defend. At the other end, Jai Rowe then did well to shield the ball for a goal kick.

Three minutes later, the O's Tristan Abrahams got space on the left side of the area to send a low ball across the six-yard box, which Jacob Bedeau and Brown watched out for a goal kick.

Conor Wilkinson weaved his way into the area in the 10th minute following a square ball from the left. Rowe then blocked the attempted cross into the box.

Then Sam Ling crossed from the right side with Abrahams coming in to try to win the header. The ball flew over his head and out for a goal kick.

It was the 12th minute when Loft broke the deadlock for the Iron, with his ninth goal of the season. He initially won an aerial challenge before latching onto a loose ball and threading the ball wide. Brown found van Veen, who clipped the ball into the area, with Loft bundling the ball home from close range.

Soon after, Brown slid in to block an incoming cross from Dan Kemp after the Orient man was slipped into the right side of the area, and then the subsequent corner was cleared.

On 17 minutes, the home side won another corner, this time on the left side, with the ball curling towards goal, clipping the crossbar before going out for an Iron throw.

Midway through the half, there was patient build-up from Orient before they played down the left channel with the low ball in from Kemp well-gathered by Mark Howard as he dived low to his left.

Soon after, at the other end, Howard’s kick forward was taken down by Gilliead. He slipped in Loft who exchanged passes with Hallam before the hosts managed to clear.

With 27 minutes gone, Bedeau clipped into Loft who chested down before the ball found Gilliead. He drove at his man before a powerful shot forced Lawrence Vigouroux into a save.

Two minutes later, Loft again won the ball in the air before Brown did well down the left to squeeze in a cross. Van Veen slipped in Beestin who, along with Hallam, tried to work a shot but couldn't fashion one.

Bedeau threw his body in the way of a long range effort from Cisse in the 32nd minute before Beestin nipped in to take the loose ball inside the area.

The O's levelled in the 35th minute when Kemp's free-kick delivery from just midway through the Iron half was headed into the back of the net by Cisse.

There was a first Scunthorpe change of the afternoon soon after as Hallam was replaced by Lewis Spence.

The Scot was involved in the thick of the action soon after coming off, as Brown crossed from the left with James Brophy providing a diving header to clear. Rowe played Spence down the right with his low cross collected by Vigouroux.

The Iron started the second period well, and van Veen flicked on for Loft running into the box but Jamie Turley stepped across to hook clear for an Iron throw.

After Gilliead had won a free-kick on the right, there was a good delivery into the box from van Veen, with Bedeau peeling away from his marker to stab his effort wide of the target.

Referee Ben Speedie then made a big decision in the 51st minute as Gilliead nipped in on a loose pass from Vigouroux and was brought down by Brophy with a clear sight to goal. However, it was only a yellow card for the Orient man.

The ball was dinked into the area by van Veen with the resultant header going wide of the target for a goal kick.

Beestin then won a free-kick on the left side. Again, van Veen’s delivery was another good one. Bedeau and Cisse both got up - one of them got the connection and the ball flashed wide of the post. A goal kick was given with United appealing for a corner.

Van Veen almost got in to charge down Vigouroux’s clearance in the 57th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to smash clear for a throw.

A minute later, there was a big penalty shout as Vigouroux and the defender got in each other’s way. Van Veen looked to be hauled down with an open goal to aim at, but somehow there was no red card and no spot-kick for the Iron.

Two minutes later there was another Scunthorpe penalty shout when the ball was fed into Spence inside the area. The midfielder went down but the referee gave nothing.

Soon after, Gilliead darted forward and was hacked down by Craig Clay. Van Veen took the resulting free-kick but saw his effort blocked away.

In the 69th minute, van Veen surged forward through a number of defenders as Beestin came away with the ball following an Orient attack. His shot from range was wide though.

The 73rd minute saw Danny Johnson floor Jordan Clarke off the ball, with the Iron skipper staying down. Nothing was given by the referee but the defender was soon able to carry on playing.

At the other end, shortly after. Jem Karacan sent a right wing cross which was met by Loft, but the forward's header was pushed around the post for a corner by Vigouroux.

The O's won a free-kick on the edge of the Iron penalty area in the 83rd minute, which Wilkinson took but it took a deflection of Brown to go wide. Nothing came from the subsequent set-play.

With six minutes remaining, United made two changes in attack as Eisa and Green came on for Loft and van Veen.

Soon after, Spence’s header saw Green in on the right with his shot turned behind for a corner. From it, the delivery by Gilliead was headed wide by Clarke.

With four minutes left, Eisa was brought down from behind as Spence seized on a loose ball. The former took the resulting free-kick, which was blocked away by the wall.

There were four minutes of stoppage time added, but neither side could break the deadlock.

United return to action on Tuesday night when they host Oldham Athletic (7pm kick-off).

ORIENT: Vigouroux, Ling, Cisse (Kyprianou, 56), Happe, Clay, Wilkinson, Kemp, Brophy, Turley, Freeman, Abrahams (Johnson, 56).

ORIENT SUBS NOT USED: Sargeant, Widdowson, Dayton, Akinola, Sweeney.

IRON: Howard, Clarke, Bedeau, Gilliead, Loft (Green, 84), van Veen (Eisa, 84), Brown, Hallam (Spence, 38), Beestin, Karacan, Rowe.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Watson, Hippolyte, Howe, O'Malley.