The Iron return to action this Saturday when they welcome local rivals Grimsby Town to the Sands Venue Stadium (1pm kick-off).
SCENE-SETTER...
United come into the game on the back of three successive defeats at the hands of Stevenage, Salford City and Barrow, and will be seeking a first win of 2021 to avenge for the reverse fixture defeat last month.
It was a battle of the bottom two last time out for Paul Hurst's men, who saw out a goalless draw against Southend United at Blundell Park. Prior to that, they'd lost four games out of five, including a 3-0 away defeat at Port Vale.
The Mariners come into the game knowing that victory would see them leapfrog United out of the relegation zone, while a win for Scunthorpe would open a five-point cushion between the two sides.
THE OPPOSITION...
Last time United faced Grimsby Town last month, Ian Holloway was in the dugout for the penultimate time as a Mattie Pollock goal was enough for the points to stay in Cleethorpes.
Fast-forward into the New Year and Paul Hurst, former manager of both clubs, returned to the side alongside Chris Doig with the mission of trying to kickstart Town's season.
Hurst has added two new defenders to his ranks with Sam Habergham signing following a trial against the Iron's Under-23s, while Rollin Menayese has also penned a loan deal from Mansfield Town as the visitors look to address their defensive issues.
It is an important four-game spell for the Mariners, starting with that goalless draw against Southend. After the Iron, they travel to Barrow and host Stevenage.
TEAM NEWS...
Myles Hippolyte (ankle) and Harrison McGahey (hamstring) both returned to the starting line-up last weekend as they made comebacks from their respective injuries. McGahey played for 45 minutes, with his replacement Manny Onariase (ankle) also getting a vital half of minutes on the pitch. McGahey is a doubt for this game though with a recurrence of his hamstring injury.
Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) continues to be missing for a total of 10 weeks after his scan results revealed a tear, while Jordan Hallam (thigh) got over 75 minutes under his belt on Tuesday for the Under-23s side against Salford City.
John McAtee is a doubt with a dead leg, while Ryan Loft could miss out with a back issue that's been plaguing him for the last two-to-three weeks.
Junior Brown is suspended after being sent off last weekend for two yellow cards, while Kevin van Veen continues his rehabilitation, but is ever edging closer to a return. Fin Shrimpton (ankle) is still on the sidelines.
Andy Dales faces another couple of weeks out with an ankle injury sustained for the Under-23s a fortnight ago, while Olufela Olomola is still out following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November.
PAST MEETINGS...
After winning three games in a row against the Mariners, with Kevin van Veen notching three of those goals, United have lost the last two encounters against the side.
Mattie Pollock won the reverse fixture, while Scunthorpe suffered defeat in what turned out to be last season's final match.
| SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2020-21 - Sat Dec 19 | LG 2 | Grimsby 1-0 Iron | |
| 2019-20 - Sat Mar 7 | LG 2 | Iron 0-2 Grimsby | |
| 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 | 22 |
| LEAGUE CUP | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 17 | 27 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Friday
Salford City v Harrogate Town (7pm)
Saturday
Exeter City v Stevenage (1pm)
Cambridge United v Bradford City (3pm)
Cheltenham Town v Barrow (3pm)
Leyton Orient v Forest Green Rovers (3pm)
Morecambe v Colchester United (3pm)
Oldham Athletic v Newport County (3pm)
Port Vale v Walsall (3pm)
Southend United v Mansfield Town (3pm)
Tranmere Rovers v Bolton Wanderers (3pm)