Scunthorpe v Rochdale preview
Friday 23 March 2018 10:38, UK
Scunthorpe defender Marnick Vermijl could return to contention for the home game against Rochdale.
Vermijl, on loan from Preston, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury but returned to training earlier this week and may be included in the squad. Fellow right-back Jordan Clarke is hoping to feature again after stepping off the bench in last week's home defeat to Shrewsbury. He had been out since November with a hamstring injury.
Striker Lee Novak (heel) remains sidelined and winger Luke Williams is scheduled to return to training on Monday after several injury setbacks have restricted him to two appearances this season.
Rochdale will be without midfielder Andy Cannon, who is expected to miss the rest of the season after fracturing a cheekbone. Cannon sustained the injury in Tuesday night's home defeat to Fleetwood and was replaced by Mark Kitching.
Boss Keith Hill has no other major new injury or suspension worries as his second-bottom side chase their first win in four matches. Defender Niall Canavan, midfielder Keith Keane and striker Calvin Andrew remain long-term absentees.
Opta stats
The Iron have won just one of their last six League One meetings with Rochdale (D2 L3), although only one of those defeats has come in the last four (W1 D2).
Rochdale haven't beaten Scunthorpe away from home in the Football League since February 1999, losing seven of their 10 visits since (D3).
Scunthorpe's current run of seven games without a win (D4 L3) is the second longest ongoing streak of its kind in League One, with only Bradford City (10 games) on a worse run.
Rochdale have won back-to-back away league games for the first time since January 2017; they haven't won three in a row since October 2014.
Ian Henderson has had a hand in six goals in his last six league meetings with Scunthorpe (three goals, three assists), scoring in both of his last two such appearances at Glanford Park.