SCENE-SETTER
After a home league defeat to Plymouth Argyle, Scunthorpe made five changes to the starting line-up for the Leasing.com Trophy third round game against Manchester City U21s on Wednesday night.
Three first-half goals helped United to a 3-1 home win over the Sky Blues, with Kevin van Veen (two) and Matthew Lund on target.
Newport’s last league game was on New Year’s Day, when they drew 1-1 at home to Cheltenham Town. They were also in Leasing.com Trophy action in midweek, defeating MK Dons 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals like the Iron.
Coming into the clash, they sit 15th in League Two, one place and a point behind Scunthorpe, but have three games in hand.
TEAM NEWS
Kevin van Veen has been declared a "major doubt" by manager Paul Hurst after coming off with a dead leg against Man City on Wednesday.
Rory McArdle is also a doubt after missing the midweek match through illness. Abo Eisa has recovered from a knock picked up in the closing stages of that game, however.
Alex Gilliead is struggling with a chest infection and could potentially miss the game.
Elsewhere, Yann Songo'o (knee) continues a spell of six weeks out with an injury sustained away at Grimsby Town.
Regan Slater (ankle) also continues to be out for around two further months following an operation.
PAST MEETINGS
The Iron were defeated 2-1 away at Newport County earlier this season, with Mark O’Brien converting James Perch’s cross into the net for the Scunthorpe goal.
| SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2019-20 - Sat Oct 19 | LG 2 | Newport 2-1 Iron | O'Brien (og) |
| 2013-14 - Sat Mar 1 | LG 2 | Newport 2-2 Iron | Madden, Syers |
| 2013-14 - Sat Aug 31 | LG 2 | Iron 1-1 Newport | Winnall |
| 1987-88 - Sat Jan 16 | DIV 4 | Newport 1-1 Iron | Taylor |
| 1987-88 - Sat Sep 19 | DIV 4 | Iron 3-1 Newport | Flounders 2, Atkins |
| 1983-84 - Fri Feb 10 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-3 Newport | Brolly 2, Cammack |
| 1983-84 - Sat Sep 24 | DIV 3 | Newport 1-1 Iron | Green |
| 1979-80 - Sat Dec 15 | DIV 4 | Newport 2-1 Iron | Stewart |
| 1979-80 - Sat Oct 20 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-3 Newport | Keeley |
| 1978-79 - Wed Apr 18 | DIV 4 | Newport 2-0 Iron | |
| 1978-79 - Sat Oct 7 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-3 Newport | Deere, Oates |
| 1977-78 - Tue Apr 4 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Newport | Kilmore 2 |
| 1977-78 - Tue Oct 4 | DIV 4 | Newport 3-1 Iron | Farrell |
| 1976-77 - Tue Apr 19 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Newport | Keeley |
| 1976-77 - Fri Jan 28 | DIV 4 | Newport 0-0 Iron | |
| 1975-76 - Sat Jan 10 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-2 Newport | Money |
| 1975-76 - Sat Aug 30 | DIV 4 | Newport 0-0 Iron | |
| 1974-75 - Sat Jan 11 | DIV 4 | Iron 4-1 Newport | Roberts 3, Collier |
| 1974-75 - Sat Dec 7 | DIV 4 | Newport 2-0 Iron | |
| 1973-74 - Sun Feb 17 | DIV 4 | Newport 2-1 Iron | Warnock |
| 1973-74 - Sat Oct 13 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-0 Newport | |
| 1971-72 - Mon May 1 | DIV 4 | Newport 1-0 Iron | |
| 1971-72 - Sat Jan 29 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Newport | Davidson |
| 1970-71 - Sat Apr 17 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-1 Newport | |
| 1970-71 - Sat Oct 10 | DIV 4 | Newport 2-3 Iron | Cassidy 2, Davidson |
| 1969-70 - Sat Mar 28 | DIV 4 | Iron 4-0 Newport | Kerr, Cassidy 2, Davidson |
| 1969-70 - Mon Mar 9 | DIV 4 | Newport 3-0 Iron | |
| 1968-69 - Mon Feb 24 | DIV 4 | Newport 1-1 Iron | Lindsey |
| 1968-69 - Fri Oct 18 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Newport | Heath |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | NEWPORT WINS | |
| LEAGUE | 8 | 9 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 8 | 9 | 12 |
THIS WEEKEND’S OTHER LEAGUE TWO FIXTURES
Carlisle United v Plymouth Argyle
Cheltenham Town v Walsall
Crawley Town v Bradford City
Exeter City v Cambridge United
Leyton Orient v Grimsby Town
Macclesfield Town v Oldham Athletic
Mansfield Town v Forest Green Rovers
Morecambe v Colchester United
Salford City v Northampton Town
Stevenage v Port Vale
Swindon Town v Crewe Alexandra
