The Iron will be looking to build on their #DerbyDay victory at the weekend when they host Port Vale at the Sands Venue Stadium on Tuesday (7pm kick-off).
SCENE-SETTER...
United will be buoyed with confidence after picking up their first three points of 2021 at the weekend against their local rivals Grimsby Town.
Abo Eisa grabbed a brace, including an exquisite free-kick to break the deadlock, while Ryan Loft notched the other goal to make it a comfortable win on home soil.
The Valiants lost 3-1 at the weekend to Walsall with their last victory being their own 3-0 triumph over the Mariners on January 9th. Prior to that, their last league win was a nine-goal thriller as they saw off Bolton Wanderers 6-3.
Port Vale come into the game in 16th position with 29 points from 25 games. The Iron are three points further back having played a game less. A win for Scunthorpe by a four-goal margin would see them leapfrog the Valiants on goal difference.
THE OPPOSITION...
The Iron were 1-0 victors in the reverse fixture among a five game losing run for Port Vale back in November. Following that poor run, the side would go onto win just one game in eight, culminating in John Askey losing his job four days into the calendar year.
Danny Pugh is in interim charge of the side, but won't journey to the Sands Venue Stadium having began a period of self isolation last week. Frank Sinclair led the team at Vale Park at the weekend.
A familiar figure in the opposition team is midfielder Jake Taylor, who spent the first half of the season in claret and blue. He was recalled to then-parent club Nottingham Forest at the start of the window before he was sold to Vale, who he was on loan to last season, on a three-and-a-half year contract. Since returning to the side, he's made three appearances.
Goalkeeper Scott Brown is the most-appearing player for the Valiants this season, having featured for 2,250 minutes, while Devante Rodney is their top goalscorer with seven league goals to his name.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old defender Leon Legge hasn't featured in the league under the new regime as he was sent off for the second time this season on January 2nd.
TEAM NEWS...
Jordan Clarke (thigh) and Abo Eisa (knee) will be assessed on the morning of the game after picking up knocks at the weekend.
Myles Hippolyte (ankle) returned to the bench at the weekend, while Ryan Loft (back) was passed fit to play and scored his fifth goal for the club. Manny Onariase also got through his first full game since December 19th after his recent injury troubles, while John McAtee also shook off a dead leg to be a used substitute.
Harrison McGahey (hamstring) will be missing once more after he managed 45 minutes at Barrow before feeling his previous injury, while Aaron Jarvis (also hamstring) continues to be missing for a total of 10 weeks.
Jordan Hallam (thigh) played over 75 minutes last Tuesday in the Under-23s and came off the bench at the weekend to see the game to its conclusion.
Junior Brown returns to contention after serving a one-match ban following his red card at Barrow, while Kevin van Veen continues his rehabilitation, but is ever edging closer to a return. Fin Shrimpton (ankle) is also back on grass, along with Andy Dales (ankle), as they both work their way back to fitness.
Olufela Olomola is still out following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November.
PAST MEETINGS...
Abo Eisa struck the winner at Vale Park in the reverse fixture as he received the ball from a quick release from Mark Howard before sending his long range effort into the net to seal all three points.
It'll be the second time the two sides have met at the Sands Venue Stadium this season, with Vale edging through in the Carabao Cup, despite a goal from Ryan Loft.
| SEASON/DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2020-21 - Tue 17 Nov | LG 2 | Vale 0-1 Iron | Eisa |
| 2020-21 - Sat 5 Sep | LG CUP R1 | Iron 1-2 Vale | Loft |
| 2019-20 - Sat 29 Feb | LG 2 | Vale 2-2 Iron | Gilliead, Miller |
| 2019-20 - Sat 22 Nov | LG 2 | Iron 2-1 Vale | van Veen, Ntlhe |
| 2016-17 - Sat 27 Jan | LG 1 | Iron 3-2 Vale | Morris (pen), Toney, Hopper |
| 2016-17 - Sat 27 Aug | LG 1 | Vale 3-1 Iron | Morris |
| 2015-16 - Sat 30 Apr | LG 1 | Iron 1-0 Vale | Madden |
| 2015-16 - Sat 12 Dec | LG 1 | Vale 1-1 Iron | King |
| 2014-15 - Tue 14 Apr | LG 1 | Iron 1-1 Vale | Wootton |
| 2014-15 - Tue 21 Oct | LG 1 | Vale 2-2 Iron | Bishop, Taylor |
| 2009-10 - Tue 22 Sep | LG CUP R3 | Iron 2-0 Vale | Hayes, McCann |
| 2006-07 - Mon 1 Jan | LG 1 | Vale 0-0 Iron | |
| 2006-07 - Tue 12 Sep | LG 1 | Iron 3-0 Vale | Sharp (2), Morris |
| 2005-06 - Tue 28 Feb | LG 1 | Vale 1-2 Iron | Sparrow, Taylor |
| 2005-06 - Sat 10 Sep | LG 1 | Iron 2-0 Vale | Hinds, Keogh |
| 1985-86 - Mon 3 Feb | DIV 4 | Vale 3-1 Iron | Graham |
| 1985-86 - Tue 22 Oct | DIV 4 | Iron 0-0 Vale | |
| 1984-85 - Fri 10 May | DIV 4 | Iron 3-3 Vale | Graham, Broddle, Cammack |
| 1984-85 - Sat 22 Dec | DIV 4 | Vale 1-1 Iron | Graham |
| 1983-84 - Tue 17 Apr | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Vale | Bell |
| 1983-84 - Sat 27 Aug | DIV 3 | Vale 0-0 Iron | |
| 1982-83 - Mon 9 May | DIV 4 | Vale 0-1 Iron | Cowling |
| 1982-83 - Tue 2 Nov | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Vale | Cammack |
| 1981-82 - Sat 17 Apr | DIV 4 | Vale 2-1 Iron | Cammack |
| 1981-82 - Sat 5 Dec | DIV 4 | Iron 0-0 Vale | |
| 1980-81 - Tue 3 Mar | DIV 4 | Vale 2-2 Iron | Partridge, Cammack |
| 1980-81 - Tue 24 Feb | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Vale | Cammack |
| 1979-80 - Sat 5 Apr | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Vale | Pilling |
| 1979-80 - Wed 26 Dec | DIV 4 | Vale 1-0 Iron | |
| 1978-79 - Tue 27 Mar | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Vale | Grimes, Earl |
| 1978-79 - Sat 19 Aug | DIV 4 | Vale 2-2 Iron | Wigg, Pilling |
| 1972-73 - Sat 24 Feb | DIV 3 | Iron 0-1 Vale | |
| 1972-73 - Sat 16 Dec | DIV 3 | Vale 2-0 Iron | |
| 1969-70 - Mon 23 Mar | DIV 4 | Vale 1-2 Iron | Cassidy (2) |
| 1969-70 - Sat 22 Nov | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Vale | Heath, Sproson (og) |
| 1968-69 - Sat 5 Apr | DIV 4 | Iron 0-1 Vale | |
| 1968-69 - Sat 28 Sep | DIV 4 | Vale 4-1 Iron | Heath |
| 1964-65 - Fri 9 Apr | DIV 3 | Iron 0-0 Vale | |
| 1964-65 - Sat 28 Nov | DIV 3 | Vale 0-1 Iron | Ratcliffe |
| 1953-54 - Sat 13 Feb | DIV 3N | Vale 0-0 Iron | |
| 1953-54 - Sat 26 Sep | DIV 3N | Iron 0-2 Vale | |
| 1952-53 - Sat 13 Feb | DIV 3N | Vale 4-0 Iron | |
| 1952-53 - Sat 31 Jan | DIV 3N | Iron 1-2 Vale | Mosby |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | PORT VALE WINS | |
| EFL TROPHY | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FA CUP | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| LEAGUE | 14 | 16 | 11 |
| LEAGUE CUP | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 15 | 17 | 14 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Tuesday
Exeter City v Morecambe (6pm)
Barrow v Grimsby Town (7pm)
Cheltenham Town v Oldham Athletic (7pm)
Mansfield Town v Bolton Wanderers (7pm)
Newport County v Carlisle United (7pm)
Salford City v Cambridge United (7pm)
Southend United v Bradford City (7pm)
Stevenage v Colchester United (7pm)
Tranmere Rovers v Harrogate Town (7pm)