Glen Harrington
8:50am, Sat 14th Jan 2023
Scunthorpe United vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 14th January 2023
Woking will be looking to make it four consecutive National League victories for the second time this season when they travel to Scunthorpe United – the club’s first ever league game at Glanford Park.
The Cards made it three wins in a row with an impressive 2-1 away victory at Dagenham & Redbridge last time out, with a first-half brace from Rohan Ince proving decisive, alongside another resolute defensive performance to see out the result in the second-half. Darren Sarll’s side now have the opportunity to match their best run of the season – four straight wins – which came in late October and early to mid-November. This is a rearranged fixture, with the original tie having been cancelled in mid-December due to poor weather conditions.
Ince, who played such a key role against the Daggers – as he has all season – is an injury doubt, having been forced off at half-time in that game and having failed to train during the week. Jermaine Anderson and Kyran Lofthouse are suspended, with the latter picking up his fifth National League yellow card of the season after coming off the bench last time out. The Woking squad has been boosted by the additions of Solomon Nwabuokei and Marcus Dackers, who both featured against Dagenham, whilst injured duo Ricky Korboa and Luke Wilkinson are closing in on a return.
Opposition Watch
Scunthorpe have endured a hugely difficult season thus far and are currently on track for an unprecedented third relegation in five years – with their last four league finishes being 23rd (League One), 20th, 22nd, 24th (all League Two). It’s been quite the dramatic fall from grace for the Iron who had previously registered back-to-back play-off finishes in the third tier in 2017 and 2018 and were playing Championship football as recently as 2011.
Keith Hill became the latest Scunthorpe manager to pay the price for their poor form in August after losing five of the club’s first six games of the season, including the 2-0 loss at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, their seventh permanent boss to depart since 2018. Former player Michael Nelson remains in interim charge, but has fared little better, picking up 16 points from his 20 games in charge, with the club currently five points from safety. They also failed to reach the first-round proper of the FA Cup after losing to seventh tier South Shields.
They did end a run of ten league games without a win last time out, defeating Maidenhead United 3-0, improving a home record which has yielded 14 of their 19 points. Their top scorer this season is Joe Nuttall with nine, but he joined fellow strugglers Oldham last month, leaving Caolan Lavery, who scored a hat-trick against the Magpies, as the main dangerman alongside experienced midfielder Jacob Butterfield. Their tally of 53 goals conceded is the third worst in the league, better only than Maidstone and Dorking.
Recent Meetings
• Woking
2-0 Scunthorpe United – 16th August 2022, National League (Lofthouse 2)
Tickets
Ticket prices are £22 for Adults, Concessions (65+, Students and 18-21) £15, Under 18s £6, Under 12s FREE. For more information and to book your ticket please
click here.
