The Iron will be looking to bounce back from two successive defeats when they visit league leaders Cambridge United on Tuesday night (7pm kick-off).
SCENE-SETTER...
Though they certainly had the chances to get more from the game, the Iron were defeated 2-0 at home by third-placed Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
That followed a 2-0 loss at Bolton Wanderers last midweek, in a match during which a penalty decision going against the Iron played a key part.
Prior to then, Scunthorpe had won four in a row and will be seeking to return to winning ways at the Abbey Stadium.
TEAM NEWS...
George Taft came off against Cheltenham with an ankle injury in the sixth minute, and the club are awaiting the results of a scan on the former Cambridge centre-back, but first team manager Neil Cox anticipates he'll be out for "six-to-eight weeks at best".
Forward Ryan Loft was brought off as a precaution with a hamstring problem and will be assessed before the game, as will Emmanuel Onariase (groin) and Abo Eisa (hamstring).
Striker Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) continues to be missing for around a month, while fellow forward Olufela Olomola is back training following a knee injury sustained after coming off the bench against Bolton Wanderers in November, but Cox says he needs to practice match game time to get match fitness up first. He played in a behind-closed-doors game against Doncaster last Wednesday.
Midfielder George Hornshaw, who has played at right-back this season, faces a 'few months out' following an ankle operation, while goalkeeper Adam Kelsey will be out for a while too - also after an operation on his ankle.
THE OPPOSITION...
Mark Bonner's side have set the tone in the division from the very start and lead the table at present.
They were late 1-0 victors at Port Vale on Saturday, with former Iron loanee Liam O'Neil scoring a stunning late winner.
The U's are without a win in their last two home matches though, having lost 1-0 against Cheltenham last Tuesday and drawn 0-0 at home to Southend United earlier last month.
Paul Mullin's goals have played a huge part in the success so far this term, with the striker netting 22 times. Fellow forward Joe Ironside has notched on 11 occasions.
Wes Hoolahan has been rolling back the years in midfield and set up six goals, as well as scoring four himself. The 38-year-old former Norwich man has made 23 appearances so far.
The appearance tables are topped by defenders Greg Taylor and Kyle Knoyle on 32 league starts apiece.
PAST MEETINGS...
SEASON - DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
2020-21 - Sat Oct 17 | LG 2 | Iron 0-5 Cambridge | |
2019-20 - Tue Feb 11 | LG 2 | Iron 0-2 Cambridge | |
2019-20 - Tue Aug 20 | LG 2 | Cambridge 3-2 Iron | McArdle 2 |
2016-17 - Tue Nov 8 | EFLT GS | Cambridge 0-2 Iron | Williams, Adelakun |
2004-05 - Sat Apr 16 | LG 2 | Iron 4-0 Cambridge | Kell, Crosby, Taylor 2 |
2004-05 - Tue Dec 7 | LG 2 | Cambridge 1-2 Iron | Torpey, Taylor |
2003-04 - Sat May 1 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 3-2 Iron | Beagrie, Torpey |
2003-04 - Sat Nov 22 | DIV 3 | Iron 4-0 Cambridge | Hayes, MacLean 3 |
2002-03 - Sat Mar 29 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 1-1 Iron | Hayes |
2002-03 - Sat Oct 12 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-2 Cambridge | Sparrow |
1999-00 - Sat Mar 11 | DIV 2 | Iron 0-3 Cambridge | |
1999-00 - Tue Nov 2 | DIV 2 | Cambridge 1-3 Iron | Hope, Harsley, Hodges |
1998-99 - Sat Feb 13 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 0-0 Iron | |
1998-99 - Tue Sep 8 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-2 Cambridge | Forrester 2, Logan |
1997-98 - Sat Mar 14 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 2-2 Iron | Forrester, Stamp |
1997-98 - Tue Nov 4 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-3 Cambridge | Forrester, Eyre, D'Auria |
1996-97 - Tue Feb 25 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 0-2 Iron | Eyre, Housham |
1996-97 - Tue Sep 10 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-2 Cambridge | McFarlane, Clarkson, Wilson |
1995-96 - Sat Jan 20 | DIV 3 | Cambridge 1-2 Iron | Wilson, McFarlane |
1995-96 - Sat Aug 12 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-2 Cambridge | Eyre |
1989-90 - Sat Apr 7 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Cambridge | Taylor |
1989-90 - Sat Oct 28 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 5-3 Iron | Marshall, Daws, Hamilton |
1988-89 - Sat Feb 25 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 0-3 Iron | Taylor, Flounders, Daws |
1988-89 - Sat Oct 15 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-0 Cambridge | Taylor |
1987-88 - Sat Jan 2 | DIV 4 | Iron 3-2 Cambridge | Hill, Taylor, Daws |
1987-88 - Sat Sep 12 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 3-3 Iron | Flounders 2, Harle |
1986-87 - Sat Feb 28 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 1-0 Iron | |
1986-87 - Tue Sep 30 | DIV 4 | Iron 1-1 Cambridge | Broddle |
1985-86 - Sat Mar 15 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 0-1 Iron | Cammack |
1985-86 - Fri Oct 11 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-0 Cambridge | |
1976-77 - Sat Mar 26 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-2 Cambridge | |
1976-77 - Fri Oct 15 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 1-0 Iron | |
1975-76 - Sat Feb 7 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 2-2 Iron | Keeley, Davidson |
1975-76 - Tue Nov 4 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-1 Cambridge | |
1974-75 - Sat Apr 19 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 2-0 Iron | |
1974-75 - Sat Oct 12 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-0 Cambridge | Warnock, Keeley |
1971-72 - Sat Apr 29 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 2-0 Iron | |
1971-72 - Tue Apr 11 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-1 Cambridge | Fletcher 2 |
1970-71 - Sat Mar 27 | DIV 4 | Cambridge 1-1 Iron | Keegan |
1970-71 - Sat Sep 5 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-0 Cambridge |
SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | CAMBRIDGE WINS | |
CUP | 1 | 0 | 0 |
LEAGUE | 14 | 11 | 14 |
TOTAL | 15 | 11 | 14 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Morecambe v Crawley Town (6.30pm)
Barrow v Harrogate Town (7pm)
Bradford City v Mansfield Town (7pm)
Cheltenham Town v Southend United (7pm)
Colchester United v Carlisle United (7pm)
Exeter City v Walsall (7pm)
Grimsby Town v Leyton Orient (7pm)
Oldham Athletic v Bolton Wanderers (7pm)
Salford City v Port Vale (7pm)
Stevenage v Forest Green Rovers (7pm)
Tranmere Rovers v Newport County (7pm)