The Iron travel to Leyton Orient on Saturday (1pm kick-off), looking to make it three away games without defeat after four points on the road last week.
SCENE-SETTER...
United come into the game following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat against promotion-chasing Exeter City in midweek, but the side had taken four points from the Grecians' fellow high-flyers Cambridge United and Salford City in the two games prior.
It means Neil Cox's side have only suffered defeat in three of the last nine games, and they'll be looking for another away success at the home of the O's.
The Iron have won two and drawn one of the last four games on their travels, beating Colchester United and the U's on the road in recent weeks.
A win on Saturday could lift Neil Cox's side up as high as 15th, while a draw or victory will see the Iron break through the 40-point barrier.
TEAM NEWS...
Centre-back Harrison McGahey's scan on Tuesday revealed a thigh problem isn't as bad as first feared, but the club will take caution before putting him back into the side. The former Rochdale man will be assessed before the squad travel to the capital on Friday.
Defender George Taft continues to miss the next two months with an ankle injury, which effectively rules him out for the remainder of the season.
Striker Ryan Loft returned in midweek following a recent thigh problem but came off with an ankle issue and is rated at 50-50 ahead of the game, while centre-back Emmanuel Onariase continues to miss out with a groin problem but is set to return to training on Saturday.
Striker Aaron Jarvis (hamstring) has had a fresh setback and could miss the rest of the season, 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 80 minutes in a behind-closed-doors game against Doncaster a fortnight back.
Midfielder George Hornshaw and goalkeeper Adam Kelsey are both expected to be out for a couple of months following ankle surgery.
THE OPPOSITION...
Leyton Orient come into the game off the back of a goalless draw at the Breyer Group Stadium against Stevenage in midweek.
That result saw them bounce back from a disappointing 4-0 defeat to the Iron's midweek opponents last Saturday.
The O's have recently parted company with manager Ross Embleton, with Jobi McAnuff currently in interim charge of the side. He's been in control for their last three games, winning one, drawing one and losing the other.
They sit 14th in the table on 43 points, with a victory against United potentially pushing them up one place. A win for Scunthorpe would see the gap between the two sides closed to just one point.
McAnuff, despite starting the majority of games under Embleton, hasn't put himself in his matchday squad since taking temporary charge of the side. Meanwhile, Danny Johnson is their top goalscorer with 16 goals from his 32 appearances so far this season. Conor Wilkinson is second in those charts with eight strikes in the same number of games, while McAnuff is third with three goals from 33 appearances.
PAST MEETINGS...
We met at the Sands Venue Stadium earlier in the season where the Iron recorded a 2-0 win against the O's.
It was a slow start for United, who could have found themselves a goal behind after just five minutes but for a penalty save from Mark Howard as he denied Danny Johnson. Goals from Ryan Loft and Alfie Beestin secured three points for Scunthorpe on the day.
United also won the last meeting at the Breyer Group Stadium by the same scoreline with Alex Gilliead and Lee Novak scoring spectacular goals in a 2-0 win.
This fixture dates back to over 60 years ago, where the two sides met for the first time on September 13th, 1958, with the match finishing 2-1 to Orient.
However, it’s the Iron who edge the head-to-head record, having won 22 of the 57 match-ups between them. Across the 57, Orient have emerged winners 16 times, with 19 of the clashes ending in a draw.
| SEASON/DATE | COMPETITION | RESULT | IRON SCORERS |
| 2020-21 - Sat Dec 5 | LG 2 | Iron 2-0 Orient | Loft, Beestin |
| 2019-20 - Sat Nov 16 | LG 2 | Orient 0-2 Iron | Gilliead, Novak |
| 2015-16 - Tue Dec 15 | FACR2 R | Iron 3-0 Orient | Mvoto og, King, Adelakun |
| 2015-16 - Sat Dec 5 | FACR2 | Orient 0-0 Iron | |
| 2014-15 - Sat Jan 31 | LG 1 | Orient 1-4 Iron | O'Neil, McSheffrey, Hopper 2 |
| 2014-15 - Sat Sep 20 | LG 1 | Iron 1-2 Orient | Sparrow |
| 2012-13 - Fri Mar 29 | LG 1 | Iron 2-1 Orient | Sodje, Canavan |
| 2012-13 - Sat Dec 15 | LG 1 | Orient 1-3 Iron | Ribeiro, Hawley, Mozika |
| 2011-12 - Sat Feb 18 | LG 1 | Orient 1-3 Iron | Walker, Barcham, Parkin |
| 2011-12 - Sat Oct 8 | LG 1 | Iron 2-3 Orient | Barcham 2 |
| 2008-09 - Sat Jan 24 | LG 1 | Iron 2-1 Orient | Hayes, Thompson |
| 2008-09 - Sat Oct 4 | LG 1 | Orient 2-2 Iron | Iriekpen, Hayes |
| 2006-07 - Sat Mar 24 | LG 1 | Orient 2-2 Iron | MacKenzie, Sharp |
| 2006-07 - Sat Oct 28 | LG 1 | Iron 3-1 Orient | Sharp 2, Sparrow |
| 2004-05 - Sat Feb 19 | LG 2 | Iron 1-0 Orient | Keogh |
| 2004-05 - Sat Oct 30 | LG 2 | Orient 1-1 Iron | Torpey |
| 2003-04 - Sat Mar 27 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Orient | Sparrow |
| 2003-04 - Sat Sep 20 | DIV 3 | Orient 1-1 Iron | Kell |
| 2002-03 - Sat Jan 11 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-1 Orient | Sparrow, Kilford |
| 2002-03 - Sat Aug 17 | DIV 3 | Orient 2-0 Iron | |
| 2001-02 - Mon Apr 1 | DIV 3 | Orient 0-0 Iron | |
| 2001-02 - Sat Nov 3 | DIV 3 | Iron 4-1 Orient | Torpey 2, Hodges, Beagrie |
| 2000-01 - Tue Feb 20 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Orient | Hodges |
| 2000-01 - Tue Sep 12 | DIV 3 | Orient 1-1 Iron | Hodges |
| 1998-99 - Sat May 29 | DIV 3 PO F | Iron 1-0 Orient | Garcia |
| 1998-99 - Sat Mar 20 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-0 Orient | Garcia, Forrester |
| 1998-99 - Sat Oct 31 | DIV 3 | Orient 1-0 Iron | |
| 1997-98 - Tue Apr 21 | DIV 3 | Orient 1-0 Iron | |
| 1997-98 - Sat Aug 16 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-0 Orient | Forrester |
| 1996-97 - Sat Mar 29 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-2 Orient | Forrester |
| 1996-97 - Sat Aug 17 | DIV 3 | Orient 0-1 Iron | Clarkson |
| 1995-96 - Mon Apr 8 | DIV 3 | Orient 0-0 Iron | |
| 1995-96 - Sat Oct 21 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-0 Orient | Hope, Paterson |
| 1988-89 - Sat May 13 | DIV 4 | Orient 4-1 Iron | Taylor |
| 1988-89 - Sat Nov 12 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Orient | Daws 2 |
| 1987-88 - Sat Feb 13 | DIV 4 | Iron 3-2 Orient | Harle 2, Shearer |
| 1987-88 - Mon Dec 28 | DIV 4 | Orient 1-1 Iron | Harle |
| 1986-87 - Tue Feb 10 | DIV 4 | Iron 0-2 Orient | |
| 1986-87 - Sat Sep 13 | DIV 4 | Orient 3-1 Iron | Birch |
| 1985-86 - Sat Mar 8 | DIV 4 | Iron 2-2 Orient | Whitehead, Cammack |
| 1985-86 - Sat Oct 5 | DIV 4 | Orient 3-0 Iron | |
| 1983-84 - Tue May 1 | DIV 3 | Iron 3-1 Orient | Graham 2, Parkinson |
| 1983-84 - Fri Sep 9 | DIV 3 | Orient 1-0 Iron | |
| 1967-68 - Sat Mar 16 | DIV 3 | Orient 2-1 Iron | Heath |
| 1967-68 - Sat Oct 21 | DIV 3 | Iron 1-1 Orient | Foxon |
| 1966-67 - Fri Dec 30 | DIV 3 | Iron 2-2 Orient | Sloan, Barton |
| 1966-67 - Sat Aug 27 | DIV 3 | Orient 3-1 Iron | Ash |
| 1963-64 - Sat Mar 14 | DIV 2 | Orient 2-2 Iron | Wilson, Mason |
| 1963-64 - Tue Oct 1 | DIV 2 | Iron 0-0 Orient | |
| 1961-62 - Sat Apr 14 | DIV 2 | Orient 0-1 Iron | |
| 1961-62 - Fri Nov 24 | DIV 2 | Iron 0-2 Orient | |
| 1960-61 - Sat Dec 31 | DIV 2 | Orient 2-1 Iron | Bonson |
| 1960-61 - Sat Aug 27 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-2 Orient | Thomas 2 |
| 1959-60 - Sat Apr 16 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-1 Orient | Bakes, Brownsword |
| 1959-60 - Sat Dec 12 | DIV 2 | Orient 1-1 Iron | Haigh |
| 1958-59 - Sat Jan 31 | DIV 2 | Iron 2-0 Orient | Harburn, Waldock |
| 1958-59 - Sat Sep 13 | DIV 2 | Orient 2-1 Iron | Waldock |
| SCUNTHORPE WINS | DRAWS | ORIENT WINS | |
| League | 21 | 18 | 16 |
| Cup | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 22 | 19 | 16 |
ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO...
Carlisle United v Bradford City (3pm)
Crawley Town v Mansfield Town (3pm)
Exeter City v Cheltenham Town (3pm)
Forest Green Rovers v Harrogate Town (3pm)
Morecambe v Newport County (3pm)
Oldham Athletic v Cambridge United (3pm)
Port Vale v Bolton Wanderers (3pm)
Southend United v Stevenage (3pm)
Grimsby Town v Colchester United (5.30pm)