SCENE-SETTER
The Iron head into the weekend’s action on the back of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City Under-21s in the Leasing.com Trophy (which saw a number of players feature after periods out with injury) and a narrow 1-0 defeat to Walsall last Saturday in the league.
The visitors Bradford City have enjoyed a positive start to their league campaign, following relegation from Sky Bet League Two. The Bantams sit in sixth place, with a points haul of 17 from 10 matches played. The West Yorkshire club were also in Leasing.com Trophy action on Tuesday, narrowly losing out to Manchester City Under-21s.
A win for the Iron would see Paul Hurst’s men draw further away from the drop zone, which Stevenage currently occupy.
TEAM NEWS
Paul Hurst said a decision would be made after training on Friday on whether Jamie Ward is ready to start a game, after the free agent striker signed on Wednesday following a spell on trial with the club.
Andy Butler made his return from injury on Tuesday, and picked up a late knock but should be okay for the weekend. Elsewhere, Kgosi Ntlhe, Levi Sutton and Jacob Bedeau came through their first 90 minutes in a while well. Andy Dales is also fine after coming on as a late substitute in that game.
Ryan Colclough will be assessed ahead of the game, as he has a little swelling on his knee after coming through his first two sets of 90 minutes since last year earlier this week.
Yann Songo'o and Junior Brown picked up knocks at Walsall but have recovered and returned to training.
The game will probably be too soon for Jamie Proctor (calf) and Lee Novak (ankle), while Jordan Hallam (ankle) remains absent.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Bantams manager Gary Bowyer said: "Everyone is surprised where Scunthorpe currently find themselves. I say currently because they have a good squad and a great manager, in Paul Hurst. He has a re-building job on his hands. Paul's set about that but the new players need time to gel."
PAST MEETINGS
The Iron suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Bantams last time out, with Kyle Wootton and Lee Novak grabbing the goals for United.
The Iron’s last victory against Bradford City came in November 2017, coming from behind to win 2-1, with goals from Cameron Burgess and Hakeeb Adelakun.
| SEASON/DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2018-19 - Sat 27 Apr | LG 1 | Iron 2-3 Bradford | Wootton, Novak |
| 2018-19 - Sat 22 Dec | LG 1 | Bradford 2-0 Iron | |
| 2017-18 - Sat 5 May | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Bradford | Townsend |
| 2017-18 - Tue 21 Nov | LG 1 | Bradford 1-2 Iron | Burgess, Adelakun |
| 2016-17 - Sat 26 Mar | LG 1 | Iron 3-2 Bradford | Toney 2, Crooks |
| 2016-17 - Mon 26 Dec | LG 1 | Bradford 0-0 Iron | |
| 2015-16 - Sat 2 Apr | LG 1 | Bradford 1-0 Iron | |
| 2015-16 - Sat 21 Nov | LG 1 | Iron 0-2 Bradford | |
| 2014-15 - Tue 21 Apr | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Bradford | McSheffrey |
| 2014-15 - Sat 20 Dec | LG 1 | Bradford 1-1 Iron | Adelakun |
| 2006-07 - Sat 31 Mar | LG 1 | Iron 2-0 Bradford | Sharp, Beckford |
| 2006-07 - Sat 21 Oct | LG 1 | Bradford 0-1 Iron | Sharp |
| 2006-07 - Tue 17 Oct | FLT R1 | Bradford 1-2 Iron | Foy, Goodwin |
| 2005-06 - Sat 1 Apr | LG 1 | Bradford 4-2 Iron | Beagrie, Hinds |
| 2005-06 - Sat 31 Dec | LG 1 | Iron 0-0 Bradford | |
| 1994-95 - Tue 22 Nov | FAC R1 R | Iron 3-2 Bradford | Carmichael, Alexander, Thompstone |
| 1994-95 - Sat 12 Nov | FAC R1 | Bradford 1-1 Iron | Hope |
| 1988-89 - Tue 22 Nov | LG CUP R3 R | Iron 0-1 Bradford | |
| 1988-89 - Wed 2 Nov | LG CUP R3 | Bradford 1-1 Iron | Daws |
| 1983-84 - Sat 17 Mar | DIV 3 | Iron 2-1 Bradford | Cammack, Matthews |
| 1983-84 - Sat 8 Oct | DIV 3 | Bradford 2-2 Iron | Leman, Lester |
| 1981-82 - Sun 14 Feb | DIV 4 | Bradford 0-0 Iron | |
| 1981-82 - Sat 3 Oct | DIV 4 | Iron 1-3 Bradford | Grimes |
| 1980-81 - Sat 31 Jan | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Bradford | Cammack |
| 1980-81 - Sat 23 Aug | DIV 4 | Bradford 0-0 Iron | |
| 1979-80 - Sat 9 Feb | DIV 4 | Iron 3-3 Bradford | Pilling, Partridge 2 |
| 1979-80 - Sat 22 Sep | DIV 4 | Bradford 2-0 Iron | |
| 1978-79 - Sat 3 Mar | DIV 4 | Bradford 1-1 Iron | Pilling |
| 1978-79 - Sat 21 Oct | DIV 4 | Iron 3-2 Bradford | Couch, Kilmore 2 |
| 1976-77 - Wed 4 May | DIV 4 | Bradford 4-0 Iron | |
| 1976-77 - Sat 8 Jan | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Bradford | Wiggington, Keeley |
| 1975-76 - Sat 17 Apr | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Bradford | Green, O'Connor |
| 1975-76 - Fri 26 Dec | DIV 4 | Bradford 0-0 Iron | |
| 1974-75 - Sat 1 Mar | DIV 4 | Iron 1-2 Bradford | Charnley |
| 1974-75 - Sat 31 Aug | DIV 4 | Bradford 3-0 Iron | |
| 1973-74 - Wed 3 Oct | DIV 4 | Bradford 2-1 Iron | Podd (og) |
| 1973-74 - Tue 18 Sep | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Bradford | Pilling, Fletcher |
| 1968-69 - Sat 29 Mar | DIV 4 | Bradford 3-0 Iron | |
| 1968-69 - Fri 6 Sep | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Bradford | Deere |
| 1957-58 - Thu 24 Apr | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 2-3 Iron | Minton 2, Davis |
| 1957-58 - Sat 28 Sep | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 0-2 Bradford | |
| 1956-57 - Sat 9 Mar | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 3-1 Iron | Waldock |
| 1956-57 - Sat 27 Oct | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 1-1 Bradford | Brown |
| 1955-56 - Tue 27 Dec | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 2-0 Bradford | Haigh, McGill |
| 1955-56 - Mon 26 Dec | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 4-3 Iron | Gregory 2, Brown |
| 1954-55 - Mon 27 Dec | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 1-0 Bradford | Brown |
| 1954-55 - Sat 25 Dec | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 2-4 Iron | Brown 2, Gregory, Mosby |
| 1953-54 - Sat 27 Mar | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 2-1 Bradford | Haigh, Mosby |
| 1953-54 - Sat 7 Nov | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 1-3 Iron | Jones, Whitfield, Brownsword |
| 1952-53 - Sat 17 Jan | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 4-0 Bradford | Haigh 2, Whitfield, Daley |
| 1952-53 - Sat 6 Sep | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 0-0 Iron | |
| 1951-52 - Wed 26 Mar | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 1-0 Iron | |
| 1951-52 - Sat 18 Aug | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 1-0 Bradford | Cumner |
| 1950-51 - Wed 18 Apr | DIV 3 (N) | Iron 0-0 Bradford | |
| 1950-51 - Sat 14 Apr | DIV 3 (N) | Bradford 2-0 Iron |
Our full record against Bradford City is as follows:
| P | W | D | L | F | A | |
| Home | 27 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 27 |
| Away | 28 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 28 | 46 |
| TOTAL | 55 | 21 | 16 | 18 | 69 | 73 |
ELSEWHERE IN LEAGUE TWO
Carlisle United v Oldham Athletic (3pm)
Cheltenham Town v Crewe Alexandra (3pm)
Crawley Town v Walsall (3pm)
Exeter City v Grimsby Town (3pm)
Leyton Orient v Port Vale (3pm)
Macclesfield Town v Colchester United (3pm)
Mansfield Town v Plymouth Argyle (3pm)
Morecambe v Northampton Town (3pm)
Salford City v Forest Green Rovers (3pm)
Stevenage v Cambridge United (3pm)
