Preview: Bolton Wanderers (H)

24 November 2020

The Iron host Bolton Wanderers at the Sands Venue Stadium on Tuesday as they look to make it four games unbeaten.

iFollow match passes on sale for Bolton encounter

24 November 2020

SCENE-SETTER...

United come into the game on the back of seven points from the last three games, including two morale-boosting away wins at Oldham Athletic (2-0) and Port Vale (1-0) which ended with a 1-1 home draw against Morecambe on Saturday.

Emmanuel Onariase got his first goal for the club at the weekend, but the side conceded their first league goal in over 270 minutes to suffer a late setback and a sharing of the spoils against the Shrimps.

Neil Cox's side haven't won at home since the 1-0 victory over Carlisle in late September, and play host to a Trotters side that have won the last three games in all competitions and currently sit 16th in the league table.

The last three positive results have lifted Scunthorpe out of the relegation zone and they could potentially climb up to 17th with victory on Tuesday.

THE OPPOSITION...

Ian Evatt's team won 2-1 away at Stevenage at the weekend thanks to goals from Eoin Doyle and Ali Crawford.

That was their third straight win, including a home success against Newcastle United Under-21s in the Papa John's Trophy and a 2-0 win against Salford City. Prior to that, they'd experienced a mixed bag of results, including a 4-0 away defeat at Leyton Orient.

Their summer signings included last season's Sky Bet League Two top goalscorer Doyle, who achieved promotion with Swindon Town, while Antoni Sarcevic has also been a key recruit for the Trotters after leaving Plymouth Argyle.

Former Iron shotstopper Matt Gilks has come into the team to play the last two league games which Bolton have won after he made the move from Fleetwood as player/goalkeeper coach.

Their latest addition was a loan signing from Luton Town called Peter Kioso at full-back.

TEAM NEWS...

Cox will leave it late to pick his side once more, as a number of players will be assessed on Tuesday afternoon following the exertions of the last week.

Kevin van Veen and Jordan Clarke were both ruled out by manager Neil Cox in his pre-match press conference. It was worried that van Veen was suffering from a hamstring issue, but it's more a nerve problem after he lasted just 11 minutes at the weekend, while Clarke is still feeling the effects of his 90 minutes against Oldham Athletic last Saturday.

Midfielder Jake Taylor also misses out as he comes towards the end of his self-isolation period of 14 days after coming into contact with somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19.

On-loan midfielder Frank Vincent has returned to parent club Bournemouth for treatment, and looks set to be out for two months with a thigh strain.

Aaron Jarvis has a hamstring injury, although is expected to return to full training on Thursday after getting his running back up to near full intensity on Monday.

PAST MEETINGS...

United were 1-0 winners in our last home game against Bolton Wanderers back in April 2017, with David Mirfin netting the decisive goal. Tuesday's meeting will be the 11th between the two sides.

SEASON - DATE	COMPETITION	RESULT	IRON SCORERS
Sat 8 Apr 2017	LG 1	Iron 1-0 Bolton	Mirfin
Sat 31 Dec 2016	LG 1	Bolton 2-1 Iron	Bishop
Sun 28 Jan 2001	FAC	Bolton 5-1 Iron	Calvo-Garcia
Tue 19 Apr 1988	DIV 4	Bolton 0-0 Iron
Tue 15 Sep 1987	DIV 4	Iron 1-1 Bolton	Russell
Sat 21 Jan 1984	DIV 3	Bolton 0-0 Iron
Fri 16 Sep 1983	DIV 3	Iron 1-0 Bolton	Cowling
Sat 10 Mar 1973	DIV 3	Iron 1-1 Bolton	Fletcher
Sat 10 Oct 1972	DIV 3	Bolton 0-0 Iron

	SCUNTHORPE WINS	DRAWS	BOLTON WINS
CUP	0	0	2
LEAGUE	2	5	1
TOTAL	2	5	3

ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...

TUESDAY
Barrow v Oldham Athletic (7pm)
Cheltenham Town v Cambridge United (7pm)
Crawley Town v Grimsby Town (7pm)
Exeter City v Colchester United (7pm)
Leyton Orient v Bradford City (7pm)
Mansfield Town v Harrogate Town (7pm)
Newport County v Walsall (7pm)
Salford City v Morecambe (7pm)
Southend United v Forest Green Rovers (7pm)
Stevenage v Port Vale (7pm)
Tranmere Rovers v Carlisle United (7pm)

Match Reports

Report: Iron 0-1 Bolton Wanderers

24 November 2020

United lost 1-0 at home to Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday, with Peter Kioso scoring in the second half.

The Iron made two changes from the draw against Morecambe on Saturday, Jacob Bedeau and Devarn Green came in for Jai Rowe and Kevin van Veen.

The visitors made a quick start to the game. Eoin Doyle fired a shot over the bar early on, as Manny Onariase defended well to thwart his range. The danger was averted again soon after as a ball was swung in from the right and Alex Gilliead stopped Gethin Jones from getting a touch on the ball.

Nine minutes in, Harrison McGahey passed to Abo Eisa just inside the area. Eisa turned and sent the ball back to Junior Brown but his cross went high and wide.

With 13 minutes played; Mark Howard made a great save as a right-sided throw-in was taken by Kioso. The ball was picked up by Antoni Sarcevic and he registered a low powerful shot on target.

Three minutes after, Brown played the ball into the area to Green. He struggled to get on the ball as the visitors defended and cleared it.

With 23 minutes played; Howard made another great save as Nathan Delfouneso fired a curled effort towards the bottom right corner. Doyle was denied any chance at the rebound.

Shortly after, the visitors had another chance as Delfouneso pushed the ball forward to Ali Crawford. His left-footed attempt went over the bar.

United had another chance with 33 minutes gone, as Eisa sent a corner to Alfie Beestin. He got control of the ball, turned and curled a cross in but it was headed clear by Bolton.

With 35 minutes gone, as the Iron applied pressure, Green was fouled on the edge of the box. The free-kick was taken by Eisa just outside the area and curled in towards the left post, and then out for a corner. Eisa’s corner curled into the box, and it was flicked on by Bedeau before the ball was headed wide by Onariase.

On 41 minutes, Gilliead attacked down the right before combining with Eisa. Eisa attempted to unleash an effort before Gilliead saw his shot just go wide.

One minute later, a right-sided corner for the Iron went into the area but there were too many bodies as Beestin latched onto the ball to volley over the bar.

With 48 minutes gone, Brown gave away a free-kick 30 yards out. Crawford took the shot and swung it into the area but the Iron cleared it away.

Soon after, Crawford had another free-kick swung in again, but the crowded area saw the ball get a touch before it went wide.

With 57 minutes played; Bolton scored after Delfouneso pushed forward into the box. He passed to Kioso in the centre, who fired the ball into the back of the net.

Three minutes later, Matt Gilks made a superb save as Loft and Eisa combined to fashion a low powerful shot but the ball was kept out by the former Iron keeper.

With 69 minutes gone, current Iron shotstopper Mark Howard saved an effort following a close-range shot by Andrew Tutte. The ball was parried away to his right.

After 78 minutes, the Iron nearly had a goal as Gilks was caught unaware. Substitute John McAtee whipped a cross in which headed towards goal, and it was only narrowly kept out of the net.

On 86 minutes, after a pause in play, the Iron were down to ten men as Olomola went down and could not continue to play. A fifth change could not be made as the Iron had already used their three slots for substitutions.

In the fifth minute of added time, a cross was whipped in from the right and Eisa connected but the ball went wide.

Scunthorpe return to action next Tuesday night when they play Harrogate away (7pm kick-off).

IRON: Howard, Bedeau, McGahey, Onariase, Gilliead, Loft (Olomola, 68), Eisa, Brown (Hippolyte, 68), Green (McAtee, 73), Spence, Beestin (Hallam, 84).

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Watson, Rowe, Cordner.

BOLTON: Gilks, Jones, Almeida Santos, Delaney, Delfouneso (Miller, 77), Doyle (Darcy, 90+2), Sarcevic, Crawford (Isgrove, 77), Tutte, Baptiste, Kioso.

BOLTON SUBS NOT USED: Crellin, White, Mascoll, Greenidge.