Jimmy Dean: It's another opportunity for us

First team manager Jimmy Dean gave an insight into how his side has prepared to face Bishop's Stortford at Glanford Park.

The Iron’s dominant 6-0 victory over a promotion chasing Spennymoor Town side is sure to send a magnitude of confidence throughout the first team squad. When asked if the lads are in high spirits following midweeks result Dean said: “It’s been a good couple of days and it was a really good performance on Tuesday night.

"It was an excellent reaction to the dreadful dross that we saw against Chester, which we all acknowledged that we needed a quick response."

Saturday’s fixture against Bishop's Stortford is somewhat of an opposite fixture as the Blues approach the fixture off the back of five consecutive losses. When questioned if it’s important that United’s players attack the game in the same manner as Tuesday night, Dean replied: “They play a different formation to Spennymoor, so it’s a bit of a more man-for-man, so we need high energy, we've got to get up the pitch more, and not let them settle into the game and play on the front foot, which is something that we always ask of them.

“They’ll be looking to come here with the changes they’ve made to try to make a positive impact. We’ve got to make sure that they aren’t able to, and we need to show them what Scunthorpe United is all about.”

Connor Smith’s early brace on Tuesday night relatively put the game to bed in its early stages, Dean had this to say when referring to how teams game plans are forced to change when Scunthorpe play their best football: “Teams want to sit in against us and try to make it difficult, but I also think that we can talk about what other teams do but we can always speak about the intensity and the way that we start games. 

“It’s another home game and another opportunity for us. Our home form in the main has been good and I think that’s back-to-back clean sheets at home as well as the fact we’ve beat the other four teams from the top five that we find ourselves in”.

The Iron’s previous long list of injuries has been constantly shortening in recent weeks with numerous players including captain Michael Clunan and winger Jason Law returning to the starting line up in recent weeks. Jimmy gave an update on the squads injury situation: “Cal Roberts trained today (Friday), but the lad has still got to get his fitness back, and we have to hold him back a bit because the lads really keen to get playing. Danny Elliott trained today, but I’d still say he's 50-50 for tomorrow, and Reagan Ogle took a bang in yesterday’s training game, so he may be 50-50 for tomorrow.

“Fin Shrimpton is returning to the stage where he will get back into training with the squad, but Alfie Beestin felt some fatigue on his hamstring. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious, but we are going to send him to a specialist on Monday hopefully in a week or two he will be back with us.”

The fans' support all season long has been excellent both at Glanford Park and away from home, but support - now more than ever - is crucial to ensure that we as a football club survive. Dean had this to say when referring to the club and the current position: “I’ve been in meetings with Michelle, and the board, every day and they really need people’s support. She’s fighting hard for her community, and for something that means a lot to her but also the people of Scunthorpe."