SCENE-SETTER
Scunthorpe come into the match after bouncing back from two straight league defeats to take maximum points at Oldham Athletic on New Year's Day. Goals from Abo Eisa and Matthew Lund coupled with a clean sheet at the other end got United back up to 12th in the table.
Plymouth will be looking to bounce back from their New Year's Day defeat at home to Swindon Town, where Eoin Doyle netted the winner in what was his 23rd league goal of the campaign. Prior to that, they'd enjoyed three straight wins in the league.
TEAM NEWS
Manager Paul Hurst had a surprise return in Kgosi Ntlhe on Wednesday as his hamstring injury wasn't as serious as first feared, with his return cut from six weeks to just one.
Elsewhere, goalkeeper Jake Eastwood also came back into the starting eleven at Oldham following two games out with a groin injury, with both coming through the fixture at Boundary Park.
Abo Eisa (dead leg) and John McAtee were both highlighted as potential knocks following the game at Oldham, but after assessment, both are available for the weekend.
Kevin van Veen missed out on New Year's Day through the illness which curtailed his appearance at Crewe last Sunday, but the Dutchman has been back in the building towards the latter part of the week with the manager leaving it late to see whether he can be involved in the squad.
Jordan Clarke has been back in training following a quad injury, but manager Paul Hurst says it would be "a big ask" to be in contention for this 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 have won five of their last eight meetings with the Pilgrims, dating back to the era when both clubs were in the Championship.
The two clubs most recent clash came at Home Park back in October when the points were shared in a 2-2 draw. The Iron lead through Alex Gilliead before two Will Aimson goals put the hosts in pole position before Abo Eisa netted with his first touch of the ball in stoppage time to rescue a point.
| SEASON/DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
|
2019-20 - Sat Oct 5 |
LG 2 | Plymouth 2-2 Iron | Gilliead, Eisa |
| 2018-19 - Sat May 4 | LG 1 | Plymouth 3-2 Iron | Wootton, Morris |
| 2018-19 - Sat Oct 27 | LG 1 | Iron 1-4 Plymouth | Novak |
| 2017-18 - Tue May 1 | LG 1 | Iron 2-0 Plymouth | Adelakun, Toney |
| 2017-18 - Sat Aug 26 | LG 1 | Plymouth 0-4 Iron | Madden 2, Hopper, Morris |
| 2013-14 - Sat Mar 15 | LG 2 | Plymouth 0-2 Iron | Syers, Cole og |
| 2013-14 - Sat Sep 21 | LG 2 | Iron 1-0 Plymouth | Esajas |
| 2009-10 - Sat Mar 20 | CHAMP | Iron 2-1 Plymouth | Thompson, Woolford |
| 2009-10 - Sat Oct 3 | CHAMP | Plymouth 2-1 Iron | Hooper |
| 2007-08 - Tue Mar 11 | CHAMP | Iron 1-0 Plymouth | Morris |
| 2007-08 - Sat Dec 1 | CHAMP | Plymouth 3-0 Iron | |
| 2001-02 - Tue Jan 22 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 2-1 Iron | Carruthers |
| 2001-02 - Sat Dec 22 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-1 Plymouth | Hodges |
| 2000-01 - Sat Mar 17 | DIV 3 | Iron 4-1 Plymouth | Garcia, Torpey, Quailey 2 |
| 2000-01 - Tue Oct 17 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 1-0 Iron | |
| 1998-99 - Tue Mar 30 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 5-0 Iron | |
| 1998-99 - Sat Aug 29 | DIV 3 | Iron 0-2 Plymouth | |
| 1995-96 - Sat Feb 10 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Plymouth | McFarlane |
| 1995-96 - Tue Jan 23 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 1-3 Iron | Hope, Turnbull, McFarlane |
| 1983-84 - Sat Apr 7 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-0 Plymouth | Bell, Brolly, Cammack |
| 1983-84 - Tue Sep 27 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 4-0 Iron | |
| 1972-73 - Tue Feb 6 | DIV 3 | Plymouth 3-0 Iron | |
| 1972-73 - Tue Oct 10 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Plymouth | Kirk |
| 1963-64 - Sat Feb 29 | DIV 2 | Plymouth 3-1 Iron | Hodgson |
| 1963-64 - Sat Nov 16 | DIV 2 | Iron 1-0 Plymouth | Neale |
| 1962-63 - Sat Feb 23 | DIV 2 | Plymouth 2-3 Iron | McGuigan, Howells, Brownsword pen |
| 1962-63 - Sat Oct 6 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-2 Plymouth | Godfrey, Hodgson |
| 1961-62 - Sat Mar 31 | DIV 2 | Plymouth 3-1 Iron | Kaye |
| 1961-62 - Sat Nov 11 | DIV 2 | Iron 5-1 Plymouth | Thomas 4, Thorpe |
| 1960-61 - Sat Apr 22 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-0 Plymouth | Thomas, Bonson |
| 1960-61 - Sat Dec 3 | DIV 2 | Plymouth 3-1 Iron | Sharpe |
| 1959-60 - Thu Sep 3 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-0 Plymouth | Sharpe, Haigh |
| 1959-60 - Mon Aug 24 | DIV 2 | Plymouth 4-0 Iron |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | PLYMOUTH WINS | |
| League | 15 | 4 | 14 |
| Total | 15 | 4 | 14 |
ELSEWHERE IN LEAGUE TWO
Cheltenham Town v Oldham Athletic (3pm)
Crawley Town v Forest Green Rovers (3pm)
Macclesfield Town v Cambridge United (3pm)
Mansfield Town v Grimsby Town (3pm)
Salford City v Walsall (3pm)
Stevenage v Colchester United (3pm)
Swindon Town v Bradford City (3pm)
