Assistant manager Ned Kelly says his team are well aware of what Oldham Athletic are capable of when the Greater Manchester club visit Glanford Park on Saturday.
Talking about this weekend’s opposition, Kelly told us about how both he and Mark Robins were very familiar with the Latics side, and that they know exactly what they need to do to emerge victorious come the full time whistle.Kelly told The Iron Player: “They’ve got a few new players in to the squad, mainly up front so they’ll be looking to carry on their decent form.
"They are a good team, they’ve got a good group of players and we saw them earlier in the week so we know what to expect.
"We are looking forward to it, it’ll be nice to play as long as the snow goes off the pitch and we can get the game on. It’s another home game so we’ll be looking to take the three points.”
With Chesterfield striker Eoin Doyle departing for the Championship on deadline day after signing for Russell Slade’s Cardiff City, former Iron forward Jonathan Forte is the league’s top scorer, even scoring for Oldham when the two sides met at Boundary Park earlier in the season.
Kelly wasn’t with the club at the time, however he has his own personal connections to the Barbadian international.
Kelly stated: “I had Jonathan at Sheffield United when he was a baby.
"Lovely lad, nice kid, and he’s done well there. Whether he plays I don’t really know because Lee has brought some other strikers in, but we’ll see whether he’s on the team-sheet.
"Managers make decisions for varying reasons whether you’re top goal scorer or not, but I would imagine Jonathan will be looking forward to coming back.”
Building on last Saturday’s 4-1 win away at Leyton Orient, United stretched their unbeaten away league form to eight games, but Kelly insists the team must remain modest and not get ahead of themselves.
Kelly said: “We might be getting a little bit too excited with it all.
"It’s very good, two back-to-back 4-1 win’s and in two difficult places to go to, the Bescot is difficult and so is Orient.
"I thought we acquitted ourselves really well, and controlled 80+ percent of the game, there was just a little spell in the second half when Orient came back into it, but overall a good result and a great three points.”
Scunthorpe United seem to have had more luck on the road than at Glanford Park these past few months, but with five games at home during February, nine in total in the month, Kelly believes it is imperative they put that straight, as well as balancing the heavy load.
Kelly stated: “We’ve had excellent away support for both the game at the Bescot and the game at Brisbane Road.
"We’ve had good support since we’ve been at the club at home, and we’d like to go on a really good run of results at Glanford Park.
"It’s going to be difficult to play so many games but most football players when they are young play for the school team on Tuesday, again on Thursday, their own team on Saturday dinner time, their Sunday team on the morning then an afternoon game so lots of football.
"That’s the thing, Saturday to Tuesday, we’ll just get on with it, hope for a clean bill of health which is the most important thing, trying to keep people fit and on the pitch, but on Saturday’s and Tuesday’s, that’s just how it is.”
The Scunthorpe training schedule has been interrupted by bouts of snow and ice in North Lincolnshire as of late, and Kelly shared with us some of the difficulties the side have been facing.
Kelly said: “It’s been a little bit frustrating as we’ve not been able to get outside because of the weather, but the lads are in brilliant spirits because we played so well and it was a really good result.
"Anytime going down to Orient and getting a win is a good result but in the manner of how we played and how we moved with the ball, the quality of the goals as well was really pleasing.”
See much more from Ned Kelly on The Iron Player.