SCENE-SETTER...
Neil Cox's side come into the match on the back of a 2-0 defeat away at Carlisle United in midweek after what was a run of five games unbeaten, which included four draws.
United will also be looking to back up four points from their last two home games, with a goalless draw against Crawley Town on Good Friday preceded by a 2-0 win over Bradford City.
TEAM NEWS...
Goalkeeper Mark Howard has been ruled out for three-to-four weeks with a thigh injury, which saw him miss the midweek game at Carlisle United. Rory Watson came in for his first league start since October in his place on Tuesday.
Manny Onariase also missed Tuesday's game at Brunton Park having come back into the side against Crawley. He has a hamstring issue which the club are waiting on the results of.
Right-back Jordan Clarke returned on Tuesday in what was Onariase's position after missing the Good Friday clash as a precaution with a tight thigh, but managed an ankle problem sustained in the game to make it through the 90 minutes. However, he is a doubt for the match after reporting for training on Thursday with a swollen ankle.
Meanwhile, Devarn Green lasted just 18 minutes in midweek when he had to come off with a thigh problem and is expected to miss the next two matches.
Forward Kevin van Veen will be looked at ahead of the match after undergoing an injection on his knee while left-back Junior Brown is out for five-to-six weeks with a hamstring injury that forced him off against Bradford City. Centre-back George Taft is ahead of schedule with his recovery from an ankle injury and will be assessed ahead of the match.
Their fellow defender Harrison McGahey (thigh) is back running on the training ground and has returned to full training, but Saturday's game will come too soon, while attacker Jordan Hallam will be assessed in the coming weeks following an injection on a hamstring problem which he suffered against Oldham Athletic.
Striker Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) is set to miss the rest of the season, while midfielder George Hornshaw and goalkeeper Adam Kelsey are both expected to be out for the remainder of the campaign too following ankle surgery.
THE OPPOSITION...
Tranmere haven't won in their last four games, but have drawn three out of those matches, including a respectable 1-1 draw against Cambridge United last time out. They were involved in a televised fixture at Cheltenham on Good Friday, losing 4-0.
The side's surge up the league can be attributed to a big upturn in form in 2021 with a run of 11 wins in 14 games in all competitions through January and February seeing the side brimming with confidence.
In between the sticks for the side in recent weeks is 39-year-old former Iron shot stopper Joe Murphy while they also have other experience in their side including the likes of Jay Spearing and David Nugent.
James Vaughan, who netted both the goals in the reverse fixture, has been out since the end of February and has since undergone knee surgery.
PAST MEETINGS…
It's been over eight years since the last meeting between the two sides at the Sands Venue Stadium, with Tranmere winning the last three games.
The teams last met at Scunthorpe's home in October 2012, with Karl Hawley's goal not enough to get any points on the day.
United last took three points in this fixture in October 2011 with Shane Duffy, Bobby Grant (two) and Chris Dagnall netting in the 4-2 home win.
You have to go back to April 2007 for the last time the Iron took all three points at Tranmere, with an own goal and a Billy Sharp strike sealing a 2-0 win en route to promotion from League One.
SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
2020-21 - Sat Oct 3 | LG 2 | Tranmere 2-0 Iron | |
2012-13 - Sat Dec 29 | LG 1 | Tranmere 1-0 Iron | |
2012-13 - Tue Oct 2 | LG 1 | Iron 1-3 Tranmere | Hawley |
2011-12 - Sat May 5 | LG 1 | Tranmere 1-1 Iron | Thompson |
2011-12 - Sat Oct 29 | LG 1 | Iron 4-2 Tranmere | Duffy, Grant 2, Dagnall |
2008-09 - Sat May 2 | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Tranmere | Byrne |
2008-09 - Tue Dec 16 | FLT Area QF | Iron 2-1 Tranmere | May, Hayes |
2008-09 - Tue Nov 25 | LG 1 | Tranmere 2-0 Iron | |
2006-07 - Sat Apr 21 | LG 1 | Tranmere 0-2 Iron | Ward og, Sharp |
2006-07 - Tue Dec 5 | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Tranmere | Keogh |
2005-06 - Sat Nov 19 | LG 1 | Iron 1-2 Tranmere | Sharp |
2005-06 - Fri Oct 7 | LG 1 | Tranmere 0-2 Iron | Keogh, Sharp |
2005-06 - Tue Aug 23 | FLC R1 | Iron 2-1 Tranmere | Ryan, Hinds |
1990-91 - Sat Dec 8 | FAC R2 | Iron 3-2 Tranmere | Ward, Lillis, Flounders |
1988-89 - Fri Apr 7 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-1 Iron | Daws |
1988-89 - Sat Dec 31 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-1 Tranmere | |
1987-88 - Sat Feb 20 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 1-3 Iron | Flounders 2, Lister |
1987-88 - Sat Aug 15 | DIV 4 | Iron 3-0 Tranmere | Russell, Flounders 2 |
1986-87 - Sat Jan 31 | DIV 4 | Iron 6-0 Tranmere | Hunter, Lister, De Mange, Johnson, Broddle 2 |
1986-87 - Tue Oct 21 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 1-0 Iron | |
1985-86 - Fri Jan 31 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-1 Iron | Hawley |
1985-86 - Fri Sep 6 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-1 Tranmere | |
1984-85 - Tue Apr 9 | DIV 4 | Iron 5-2 Tranmere | Brolly 2, Cammack 2, Broddle |
1984-85 - Tue Jan 1 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-0 Iron | |
1982-83 - Sat Mar 5 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 0-4 Iron | Leman, Cammack 2, Parkinson |
1982-83 - Sat Oct 23 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Tranmere | Baines, Cowling |
1981-82 - Sat Jan 30 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 0-1 Iron | Green |
1981-82 - Sat Sep 19 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Tranmere | Cowling, Moss |
1980-81 - Fri Apr 24 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 1-2 Iron | Pilling, Stewart |
1980-81 - Sat Dec 20 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Tranmere | Lambert, Stewart |
1979-80 - Sat Mar 8 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Tranmere | Pilling, Cammack |
1979-80 - Fri Oct 26 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 1-2 Iron | Green, Pilling |
1975-76 - Tue Feb 24 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Tranmere | Wiggington, O'Connor |
1975-76 - Mon Sep 22 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-1 Iron | Money |
1972-73 - Sat Dec 30 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-5 Tranmere | Fletcher |
1972-73 - Fri Aug 18 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-1 Iron | Kirk |
1970-71 - Mon Nov 30 | FAC R1 Rep 2 | Tranmere 0-1 Iron | Rusling |
1970-71 - Tue Nov 24 | FAC R1 Rep 1 | Iron 0-0 Tranmere | |
1970-71 - Sat Nov 21 | FAC R1 | Tranmere 1-1 Iron | Woolmer |
1967-68 - Fri Mar 22 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Tranmere | Colquhoun |
1967-68 - Fri Oct 27 | DIV 4 | Tranmere 2-0 Iron | |
1957-58 - Thu Sep 5 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-0 Tranmere | Fletcher |
1957-58 - Mon Aug 26 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 1-4 Iron | Waldock 3, Fletcher |
1956-57 - Sat Apr 6 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 4-2 Iron | Waldock, Haigh |
1956-57 - Sat Nov 24 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-4 Tranmere | Gregory |
1955-56 - Sat Apr 7 | DIV 3N | Iron 2-1 Tranmere | Brown, Gregory |
1955-56 - Sat Nov 26 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 2-1 Iron | Brown |
1954-55 - Sat Mar 12 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-2 Tranmere | Gregory |
1954-55 - Sat Oct 23 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 1-2 Iron | Brown, Haigh |
1953-54 - Tue Apr 27 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 1-1 Iron | Jones |
1953-54 - Sat Apr 10 | DIV 3N | Iron 3-1 Tranmere | Gregory 3 |
1952-53 - Sat Mar 7 | DIV 3N | Iron 2-0 Tranmere | Haigh, Daley |
1952-53 - Sat Oct 18 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 0-1 Iron | Mynard |
1951-52 - Mon Apr 14 | DIV 3N | Iron 2-0 Tranmere | Ottewell, Wallace |
1951-52 - Fri Apr 11 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 3-1 Iron | Ottewell |
1950-51 - Sat May 5 | DIV 3N | Tranmere 1-0 Iron | |
1950-51 - Sat Feb 10 | DIV 3N | Iron 1-1 Tranmere | Payne |
1935-36 - Sat Dec 14 | FAC R2 | Tranmere 6-2 Iron | Lewis, Allen |
SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | TRANMERE WINS | |
LEAGUE | 22 | 8 | 20 |
CUP | 1 | 0 | 0 |
LEAGUE CUP | 1 | 0 | 0 |
FA CUP | 2 | 2 | 1 |
TOTAL | 26 | 10 | 21 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Friday
Mansfield Town v Newport County (6pm)
Oldham Athletic v Colchester United (7pm)
Saturday
Barrow v Carlisle United (3pm)
Bolton Wanderers v Harrogate Town (3pm)
Bradford City v Grimsby Town (3pm)
Cambridge United v Exeter City (3pm)
Cheltenham Town v Leyton Orient (3pm)
Port Vale v Morecambe (3pm)
Salford City v Stevenage (3pm)
Southend United v Crawley Town (3pm)
Walsall v Forest Green Rovers (3pm)