Iron manager Brian Laws says his team must go to Milton Keynes Dons with no fear at the weekend.
Five points adrift of Oldham Athletic and Colchester United with just two games left to play, Laws accepts his side have it all to do if they’re to secure League One survival now.Nevertheless, he knows a win for Scunthorpe at stadium:mk – coupled with a Colchester defeat at home to Shrewsbury – would mean Scunthorpe go into their final match of the season against Swindon still with a shout of securing survival.
“That’s how bizarre this Football League is,” Laws told The Iron Player.
“You can never predict results, no more so than on Tuesday night.
“We are still in with a fighting chance and it is only a minor one.
“Mathematically we can still do it, but there has to be large portions of luck along the way.
“The first test will be on Saturday against Milton Keynes Dons, we have to go there and get a result to give us a chance.
“If we don’t, that’s us done. That’s the simple fact.
“It’s another must-win game for us, and one that will certainly put the final nail in the coffin for us if we don’t win.
“However, if we do win and Colchester lose, it does leave us wide open for the last game of the season against Swindon.”
The Dons need a win themselves to keep their play-off hopes alive, but Laws says Scunthorpe will head there looking to cause an upset.
“They’re a good side and they’ve already shown that against us at Glanford Park this season,” he added.
“I’ve seen that game on DVD. They’re a good side and they outsmarted us.
“You look at their eleven players out on the park and it’s a strong team. Their bench is even strong too though.
“Every one of the players on their bench could get in our first team regularly so that shows the strength they have.
“However, we have to play smart and think about how we perform against MK Dons because if we go there open, they’ve got the personnel to open us up and get a bagful.
“If we go there and play smart, and play with a purpose alongside a knowledge of them, as well as making sure we’re solid, it gives us a fighting chance of getting a result against them.
“This season, teams have gone to stadium:mk and won, so we know they’re not invincible.
“We just have to make sure the players don’t go out there, feeling that.”
See much more from Brian Laws, Mark Duffy and Karl Hawley on The Iron Player.