The Iron host Grimsby Town for the first time in the league for 16 years on Saturday, in all ALL-TICKET home League Two encounter that kicks off at 1pm.
SCENE-SETTER
Coming into the game following Tuesday's 2-0 defeat to league leaders with a youthful line-up, Scunthorpe come into the derby match in good spirits and hoping to make it three wins in all competitions against the Mariners this season.
Prior to the midweek game, United came from behind twice to draw 2-2 at play-off chasing Port Vale and were 1-0 victors against Forest Green in our last home match.
The Mariners come into it on the back of two 3-0 defeats to promotion pushing teams, at home to Northampton Town last Saturday and away at Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night. They were 4-2 winners against Newport County the prior Tuesday.
TEAM NEWS
Abo Eisa (hamstring) and Kevin van Veen (groin) will be given every chance and a decision won’t be made on the attacking pair until Saturday after coming off at Port Vale last week and then missing the Swindon game.
Defender Harrison McGahey is slowly recovering from concussion, but received the all-clear after a brain scan last Friday. “He is progressing and moving in the right direction though,” said Russ Wilcox.
Ryan Colclough misses out with a back injury, while Junior Brown is edging closer to a return from medial ligament damage but the game will come too soon.
“Junior will hopefully get some minutes for the Under-23s at Rotherham on Tuesday,” said Wilcox.
Elsewhere, Jordan Clarke could return sooner than originally anticipated from a calf injury, as he was originally out until late April.
Wilcox said: “He is back on the grass and up to speed. He now just needs some contact."
Meanwhile, Kgosi Ntlhe is still out with an Achilles injury and could miss the rest of the season.
“He’s had a setback with his injury so has had a small operation to rectify an issue around his Achilles. With only seven weeks left of the season, he’s probably going to struggle to get back before the it ends.”
Regan Slater (recovering from an ankle injury) is set to return to action for Sheffield United Under-23s on Friday, and it is hoped he will play for ours at Rotherham next week before then appearing for the Blades again at the end of next week.
Alfie Beestin (hamstring) is back on the grass jogging and isn’t too far away, as is Jordan Hallam (hamstring).
Devarn Green missed out on Tuesday with a dead leg and should be fine for Saturday.
PAST MEETINGS
Kevin van Veen has been the match-winner on two occasions so far this season against the Mariners, netting a brace in the 2-1 Leasing.com Trophy group stage win in September and then notching the winner at Blundell Park in December.
Our last home league match against Grimsby came in November 2004, with Paul Hayes scoring a brace in a 2-0 home win.
| SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2019-20 - Sat Dec 21 | LG 2 | Grimsby 0-1 Iron | van Veen |
| 2019-20 - Tue Sep 4 | FLT GS | Grimsby 1-2 Iron | van Veen 2 |
| 2017-18 - Tue Oct 3 | FLT GS | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Hopper 2 |
| 2013-14 - Tue Nov 19 | FAC R1 R | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Hawkridge |
| 2013-14 - Sat Nov 9 | FAC R1 | Grimsby 0-0 Iron | |
| 2008-09 - Tue Oct 7 | FLT R2 | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Togwell, Morris |
| 2004-05 - Sat Apr 23 | LG 2 | Grimsby 0-0 Iron | |
| 2004-05 - Sat Nov 6 | LG 2 | Iron 2-0 Grimsby | Hayes 2 |
| 1997-98 - Tue Jan 27 | FLT QF | Iron 0-2 Grimsby | |
| 1989-90 - Tue Apr 17 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 2-1 Iron | Flounders |
| 1989-90 - Tue Dec 26 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Grimsby | Daws, Marshall |
| 1988-89 - Sat Mar 18 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 1-1 Iron | Flounders |
| 1988-89 - Sat Sep 10 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Grimsby | Lister |
| 1982-83 - Tue Jan 11 | FAC R3 R | Grimsby 2-0 Iron | |
| 1982-83 - Sat Jan 8 | FAC R3 | Iron 0-0 Grimsby | |
| 1982-83 - Tue Sep 14 | FLC R1 L2 | Grimsby 0-0 Iron | |
| 1982-83 - Tue Aug 31 | FLC R1 L1 | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Cowling |
| 1979-80 - Tue Aug 14 | FLC R1 L2 | Iron 0-0 Grimsby | |
| 1979-80 - Sat Aug 11 | FLC R1 L1 | Grimsby 2-0 Iron | |
| 1978-79 - Sat Apr 14 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 1-1 Iron | Kavanagh |
| 1978-79 - Tue Dec 26 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Kilmore, Grimes |
| 1977-78 - Fri Mar 3 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Lumby 2 |
| 1977-78 - Sat Oct 8 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 0-0 Iron | |
| 1972-73 - Tue Dec 26 | DIV 3 | Grimsby 1-0 Iron | |
| 1972-73 - Sat Sep 23 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Deere |
| 1971-72 - Sat Oct 16 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Deere |
| 1971-72 - Sat Aug 14 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 4-1 Iron | Fletcher |
| 1970-71 - Fri Apr 9 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 1-0 Iron | |
| 1970-71 - Sat Oct 3 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Keegan |
| 1969-70 - Sat Dec 13 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Grimsby | Cassidy |
| 1969-70 - Sat Sep 13 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 1-1 Iron | Heath |
| 1968-69 - Sat Jan 25 | DIV 4 | Grimsby 0-1 Iron | Cassidy |
| 1968-69 - Wed Nov 6 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-2 Grimsby | Colquhoun |
| 1967-68 - Sat Jan 20 | DIV 3 | Iron 0-3 Grimsby | |
| 1967-68 - Sat Sep 16 | DIV 3 | Grimsby 2-1 Iron | Barton |
| 1966-67 - Tue Sep 27 | DIV 3 | Iron 0-0 Grimsby | |
| 1966-67 - Wed Sep 7 | DIV 3 | Grimsby 7-1 Iron | Bedford |
| 1965-66 - Tue Apr 12 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-2 Grimsby | Bedford, Colquhoun |
| 1965-66 - Fri Apr 8 | DIV 3 | Grimsby 1-3 Iron | Sloan 3 |
| 1964-65 - Tue Apr 6 | DIV 3 | Grimsby 3-0 Iron | |
| 1964-65 - Sat Dec 26 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Ratcliffe, Kirkman |
| 1963-64 - Sat Apr 11 | DIV 2 | Grimsby 2-0 Iron | |
| 1963-64 - Sat Nov 30 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-2 Grimsby | Conde, Lawther |
| 1962-63 - Fri Dec 21 | DIV 2 | Iron 1-1 Grimsby | Gibson |
| 1962-63 - Sat Aug 25 | DIV 2 | Grimsby 3-0 Iron | |
| 1958-59 - Sat Mar 14 | DIV 2 | Iron 1-3 Grimsby | Marriott |
| 1958-59 - Sat Oct 25 | DIV 2 | Grimsby 1-1 Iron | Waldock |
| 1955-56 - Mon Apr 2 | DIV 3N | Iron 0-1 Grimsby | |
| 1955-56 - Fri Mar 30 | DIV 3N | Grimsby 0-1 Iron | Brown |
| 1954-55 - Thu Sep 2 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-0 Grimsby | Jones |
| 1954-55 - Tue Aug 24 | DIV 3N | Grimsby 1-4 Iron | Brown 2, McGill, Gregory |
| 1953-54 - Sat Dec 19 | DIV 3N | Iron 2-1 Grimsby | Whitfield, Gregory |
| 1953-54 - Sat Aug 22 | DIV 3N | Grimsby 0-1 Iron | Gregory |
| 1952-53 - Wed Sep 3 | DIV 3N | Grimsby 1-0 Iron | |
| 1952-53 - Thu Aug 28 | DIV 3N | Iron 0-1 Grimsby | |
| 1951-52 - Wed Dec 26 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-3 Grimsby | Powell |
| 1951-52 - Tue Dec 25 | DIV 3N | Grimsby 3-2 Iron | Powell 2 |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | GRIMSBY WINS | |
| EFL TROPHY | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| FA CUP | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| LEAGUE | 12 | 13 | 20 |
| LEAGUE CUP | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 17 | 25 |
ELSEWHERE IN LEAGUE TWO
(All 3pm kick-offs)
Carlisle United v Colchester United
Cheltenham Town v Port Vale
Crawley Town v Oldham Athletic
Crewe Alexandra v Stevenage
Leyton Orient v Cambridge United
Newport County v Morecambe
Northampton Town v Mansfield Town
Plymouth Argyle v Macclesfield Town
Salford City v Bradford City
Swindon Town v Forest Green Rovers
Walsall v Exeter City