The Iron will be looking to get back to winning ways and register their first points of 2021 on Saturday when they play host to Bradford City (3pm kick-off).
SCENE-SETTER...
United finished 2020 with their first win in three matches thanks to goals from Myles Hippolyte and Alex Gilliead at Walsall, but they fell to defeat last Saturday, losing 3-1 away at Stevenage.
In that game, Devarn Green scored his first for the club to put the side 1-0, but the hosts hit back soon after.
We sit 20th and could potentially climb up to 15th with victory, while the away side are 18th - a point further on - and can go as high as 14th. A win for the Iron would see them leapfrog the Bantams.
THE OPPOSITION...
Bradford City have been on an upward surge up the league following the dismissal of Stuart McCall and Kenny Black last month.
The pair, who have also been in charge of the Iron, were given a new contract just a couple of weeks before their departure from Valley Parade, with the Bantams picking up form under the interim managers of Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars.
That has also coincided with the return from injury of former United forward Lee Novak who has netted three goals in the five games the duo have taken charge of. Levi Sutton, also formerly of Scunthorpe, has also found the net and picked up man of the match awards in recent weeks.
The Bantams have picked up three wins and two draws in the five games since sacking McCall and Black, with victories against Cambridge United, Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers. The draws have come against Crawley Town and Port Vale.
TEAM NEWS...
New arrivals Jem Karacan and George Taft come into the squad after signing this week on a free transfer and on loan from Bolton Wanderers respectively.
Ryan Loft was rated at '50/50' ahead of last weekend's match, but was able to play against Stevenage despite a hip injury.
Myles Hippolyte, who netted his first goal for the club against Walsall, missed out last weekend through an ankle injury sustained against the Saddlers and, though he returned to training on Friday, the game may come too soon.
Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) will be missing for around 10 weeks after his scan results revealed a tear, while Jordan Hallam (thigh) will be out for a couple of weeks.
Emmanuel Onariase returned to training ahead of schedule this week after an ankle problem and will be looked at before the game.
Harrison McGahey (hamstring) is still missing, but is ahead of schedule and could play for the Under-23s next week, while Junior Brown (thigh) returned to the bench last weekend at Stevenage and played a pre-planned 45 minutes for the Under-23s at Grimsby this week.
Kevin van Veen is underdoing his rehabilitation at the club following an injection on his hamstring injury which required rest over the festive period. His injury will keep him out for a total of around 10 weeks, while Fin Shrimpton (ankle) is on the sidelines.
Andy Dales faces two-to-three weeks out with an ankle injury sustained for the Under-23s in midweek.
Olufela Olomola faces around two months on the sidelines following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November.
PAST MEETINGS
The two sides managed to meet twice last season, with both games resulting in draws. Jamie Ward scored a penalty in the last meeting at the Sands Venue Stadium, with the Iron playing over 75 minutes with ten men following the early dismissal of Matthew Lund.
At Valley Parade, the last time the two sides met, United conceded twice in two minutes inside the opening 20 minutes to go 2-0 down, but goals from Alex Gilliead and John McAtee rescued a point.
| SEASON/DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2019-20 - Sat 18 Jan | LG 2 | Bradford 2-2 Iron | Gilliead, McAtee |
| 2019-20 - Sat 28 Sep | LG 2 | Iron 1-1 Bradford | Ward |
| 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 | 28 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 42 | 28 |
| Away | 29 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 30 | 48 |
| TOTAL | 57 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 72 | 75 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Cambridge United v Harrogate Town (3pm)
Port Vale v Grimsby Town (3pm)
Southend United v Barrow (3pm)