Match Preview: Scunthorpe United

2 October 2020

Tranmere Rovers face Scunthorpe United in Sky Bet League Two at 3:00pm on Saturday afternoon, with the Whites looking to secure a second win of the week.

The visitors make the trip to Prenton Park, having taken four points from their opening three league matches.

Scunthorpe appointed Neil Cox as their new manager prior to the start of the 2020/21 campaign, whose two previous positions were assistant manager roles at AFC Wimbledon and Notts County.

Team news

No fresh injury concerns have been reported ahead of Saturday’s showdown.

The attacking duo of Morgan Ferrier and Corey Blackett-Taylor are unlikely to be involved in the matchday squad.

Match officials

Referee: Anthony Backhouse.
Assistant referees: Hristo Karaivanov and Christopher Husband.
Fourth official: Billy Smallwood.

One to watch

Forward, John McAtee.

The 21-year-old joined Scunthorpe last summer and impressed during his debut season at The Sands Venue Stadium, scoring three times in 18 appearances.

Prior to this, the youngster enjoyed loan spells at Curzon Ashton, AFC Telford and Ashton United.

Dutch striker Kevin van Veen is expected to play no part in this fixture, paving the way for McAtee to lead the line alongside Ryan Loft.

Match coverage

With supporters currently unable to attend live games, an iFollow individual match pass can be obtained for £10. Season ticket holders will not be required to purchase a pass for this weekend’s game as it is a home match.

The TRFC radio team of Phil Wilkinson and Adam Siddorn will be in place at Prenton Park to provide live updates on proceedings.

For all non-season ticket holders based in the UK, individual match passes for every Tranmere Rovers game are priced at just £10. For full information on how to sign up for iFollow is available by CLICKING HERE.

Alternatively, you can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.

Twitter: @tranmererovers

Facebook: @trfcofficial

Instagram: @tranmererovers

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Tranmere 2-0 Scunthorpe

3 October 2020

Tranmere Rovers recorded their first league win of the season with a convincing 2-0 win against Scunthorpe United.

James Vaughan struck either side of half time for his fourth and fifth goals of the campaign to secure maximum points for Rovers.

The win also saw Tranmere record their third clean sheet in four matches since the return of league football, in a productive afternoon for the home side.

Kaiyne Woolery and Liam Feeney both missed out through injury for the hosts, as Stefan Payne came into the starting line-up. Danny Walker-Rice and Jake Burton were named on the bench.

Great one touch football from the hosts saw Otis Khan, Payne and Lee O’Connor create an opening in the first two minutes, but Scunthorpe cleared their lines.

The rain was coming down at Prenton Park as both teams tussled for control. With 27 minutes on the clock, manager Mike Jackson made his first change, Payne was replaced by Paul Lewis.

The alteration resulted in a switch of formation for the hosts, with 4-2-3-1, Lewis playing in behind James Vaughan.

In a game which was presenting very few chances, a piece of quality broke the deadline as Vaughan grabbed his first league goal of the season.

Banks passed the ball down the right to Lewis, who played in an excellent cross into Vaughan who expertly got in front of his marker to flick the ball into the bottom corner.

A free-kick from Myles Hippolyte ten minutes into the second half from the visitors was the first meaningful attack. The Iron’s number 15 hit the free-kick from the edge of the box over the bar, after Ryan Loft was fouled by Peter Clarke.

Two minutes later, Hippolyte had another strike on goal as it flew across the wet surface from a similar area to his free-kick, but skipper Scott Davies made a comfortable stop.

In the 65th minute, Vaughan added a second for Rovers and his fifth of the campaign with a cool finish into the bottom left hand corner after a failed clearance from Scunthorpe United.

A huge shout for a penalty in the 72nd minute for Rovers when a Scunthorpe player was alleged to handle the ball from a Vaughan shot in the penalty box. However, the referee gave a corner kick, and Manny Monthe headed over from two yards out, a big opportunity to make it 3-0 for Tranmere.

O’Connor was proving to be a real concern for the Iron defence and another fabulous cross from the right hand side was perfect for Lewis, but the former Cambridge man missed the ball.

Moments later, Lewis won the ball back inside the Iron penalty box, and hit a shot just wide, but his team mates were full of praise for the midfielder, after he won the ball back with great energy and work rate.

Jackson’s men comfortably held out for the win in a pleasing performance at Prenton Park.

Tranmere Rovers will be next on Saturday 10th October when we travel to Salford City, 3pm kick-off. The game will be available to watch on iFollow, with match passes just £10.

Tranmere: Davies, O’Connor, Clarke, Monthe, Ridehalgh, Morris, Banks, Spearing, Khan (MacDonald 81), Payne (Lewis 27), Vaughan. Unused subs: Murphy, Walker-Rice, Burton, Nelson, Ellis.

Scunthorpe: Watson, Vincent (Dunnwald-Turan 53), Hippolyte (Eisa 62), Cordner, Bedeau, Gilliead, Loft, O’Malley, Spence, Hornshaw (Green 79), Taylor. Unused subs: Beestin, Jarvis, Kelsey, Onariase.