Barnsley will get their League Cup campaign underway tonight when they lock horns with former Reds boss Mark Robins and his Scunthorpe United side.
Glanford Park will be the setting as the Reds target an immediate response following Saturday’s opening day loss at Chesterfield.
Two second-half goals in the space of 79 seconds from debutant Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and midfielder Sam Morsy condemned the Reds to a 3-1 reverse.
Hosts Scunthorpe will also be looking to bounce back after they went down to a 2-1 defeat at newly promoted side Burton Albion at the weekend.
Following last season’s 16thplaced finish, manager Robins has enjoyed an extremely busy summer; with a colossal turnover in the Club’s playing squad including the signing of Preston North End trio Scott Laird, Jack King and ex-Barnsley man Scott Wiseman.
All three of those arrivals will add their promotion-winning experience to Scunthorpe’s challenge this season and they have been joined at Glanford Park by some big names including former Stoke and Rangers midfielder Jamie Ness, as well as ex-Watford and Sheffield United frontman Darius Henderson.
Those new signings will add both competition and quality to an already talented Scunthorpe squad this term, with Robins hoping to improve on the Club’s mid-table finish last time out in what was their first season back in the third tier following promotion in May 2014.
Previous Meetings
Barnsley will be looking to make it three games unbeaten at Glanford Park when they face Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.
Last season’s 1-0 win in North Lincolnshire, courtesy of Josh Scowen’s 51stminute winner, was the Reds’ second consecutive match without defeat when the Iron have played hosts, following the Club’s 0-0 draw there in 2010.
Those meetings are just two of five between the Clubs in the past five years, with Barnsley plying their trade in the Championship and Scunthorpe in both Leagues One and Two.
In the 2010-11 Championship season the sides played out a goalless draw at Glanford Park, while back at Oakwell and Marlon Harewood’s double won it for the Reds.
Until last season, they were the most recent League meetings between the two Clubs; with the only clash between then and last November coming in August 2013 when Barnsley edged their counterparts on penalties in the League Cup.
With neither side dominating proceedings in recent times it came as no surprise when the Reds and the Iron picked up a win apiece last season; Barnsley securing their 17thsuccess in this fixture following Scowen’s second-half winner, while at Oakwell Paddy Madden’s brace earned Scunthorpe a 14thwin against the Reds.
Team News
Boss Lee Johnson may opt to rotate his squad for the trip to Scunthorpe on Tuesday following Saturday’s defeat at Chesterfield.
The Reds went with a five man defence at the Proact Stadium and with Josh Scowen playing in a more unfamiliar wing-back role, George Williams may start from the off after making a second-half cameo in Derbyshire.
Summer signings Marley Watkins and Joe Rothwell will be eager to make their full debuts for the Club after also being introduced from the bench against the Spireites, but following a goal on his first outing for the Reds, on-loan front man Conor Wilkinson will be confident of another starting spot in the Barnsley attack.
Hosts Scunthorpe started with six of their 10 summer signings in their 2-1 defeat at Burton on Saturday but manager Mark Robins will have to shuffle his pack ahead of Tuesday night’s clash following injuries picked up by Luke Williams and Niall Canavan.
Summer recruit Williams faces months on the sidelines with a medial ligament problem, while defender Canavan will be out for a similar length of time after suffering a knee injury against the Brewers.
Another area of the Iron side which will be disrupted is between the sticks after Iron’s stopper Luke Daniels was shown a straight red card for bringing down Mark Duffy which resulted in Lucas Akins’ winning spot-kick at the Pirelli Stadium.
Former Lincoln and Shrewsbury ‘keeper Joe Anyon should start in Daniels’ place against the Reds, as the Iron look set to continue with a 3-5-2 formation once again.
One man who will be at the heart of their five man midfield is former Red Stephen Dawson, after the former Barnsley man agreed a deal to join the Iron from Rochdale this summer.
The Irishman made 72 starts for the Reds between 2012 and 2014 and has been appointed as Scunthorpe’s new captain since his arrival.
Dawson will be joined in the Iron’s starting XI by another familiar face in the shape of Scott Wiseman, while fellow new signing Darius Henderson will be pushing for a start after being an unused substitute on Saturday.
Man in the Middle
Lancashire based referee Graham Salisbury is no stranger to both Barnsley and Scunthorpe, with the official set to take charge of the Reds for a 15thtime and the Iron for the 14thtime on Tuesday night. In Salisbury’s company Barnsley have enjoyed some mixed results; losing four, drawing four and winning six. One of those victories came last season when Salisbury oversaw the Club’s 2-1 home win against Port Vale in January. It was not the only Barnsley game officiated by the Lancastrian last term, with the official dishing out eight yellow cards as the Reds picked up a 1-1 draw at Notts County in April.
Unlike the Reds, Tuesday night’s hosts Scunthorpe did not enjoy the officials company last season, with the Iron suffering a 4-1 defeat at Chesterfield in September which also saw Salisbury award the Spireites a second-half penalty, while in the FA Cup the official ran the rule over Scunthorpe’s disappointing home draw against non-league side Worcester City. Those results are part of a dismal run of form for the Iron when Salisbury has been in charge, with the Club losing eight, drawing two and winning just three.
Their Star Man
Despite some exciting additions to their squad this summer, the Scunthorpe faithful got the big news they wanted last week when it was confirmed that star forward Paddy Madden had agreed a new three-year deal with the Iron which will keep him at the Club until 2018. After joining the Lincolnshire outfit in January 2014 from Yeovil for an undisclosed fee, Madden struck five times to help Scunthorpe win promotion to League One.
With the forwards ability showcased for all to see during the 2012-13 campaign when the Republic of Ireland international netted 23 goals as Yeovil won promotion to the Championship, Scunthorpe anticipated big things from their forward last season and the 25-year-old failed to disappoint; netting 17 goals in 55 appearances. Two of those strikes came back in November when the ex-Carlisle man struck twice at Oakwell as Scunthorpe ran out 2-1 winners and with significant goals against the likes of Rochdale and Crawley, Madden ended the season as the Club’s top goalscorer.
With his Scunthorpe future now assured the Club’s fans will be expecting even better things this time out and after netting seven times in pre-season including a hat-trick against League Two side Hartlepool, he will be more than confident of surpassing his tally from last season.
Mutual Man
Belfast-born Grant McCann began his career with West Ham but it was further north where the former Northern Ireland international made a name for himself. Following a successful four year spell at Cheltenham where he made nearly 200 appearances, McCann joined Barnsley on loan in November 2006 from the Robins.
The midfielder – who is currently a coach at Peterborough following his retirement from playing – became an instant hit with the Barnsley faithful; drilling a fine-left footed effort which flew past Ipswich ‘keeper Lewis Price to earn the Reds a 1-0 win in Simon Davey’s first game as caretaker boss.
After making his move to Oakwell permanent just a month later, the Irishman went onto make 22 appearances as he helped the Club secure their Championship safety. The playmaker began the 2007-08 season as a regular once again and netted a first half brace as the Club edged Southampton 3-2 in a thriller at St Marys. McCann’s final goal for Barnsley would come three months later however, as he bagged the first of two late goals which saw the Reds fight back to earn a 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe.
Two months later and the former Notts County loanee would become a more permanent fixture at Glanford Park, after the set piece specialist joined the Iron for an undisclosed fee. Despite becoming a regular in the Iron midfield, McCann was powerless to prevent his new side from suffering relegation to League One at the end of the season. That disappointment did not deter the former Barnsley man however; scoring 10 goals in 54 appearances as he helped Scunthorpe win immediate promotion back to the second tier in May 2009.
The bulky midfielder wasted no time upon his return to the Championship; bagging nine goals including two against Sheffield United in a 3-1 Scunthorpe victory. Despite that fine form which helped the Iron remain in the second tier, McCann joined relegated Peterborough United in the summer of 2010, where he was immediately appointed captain. After nearly five years at London Road, his contract was cancelled by mutual consent in January and following a brief spell back in his homeland with Linfield, McCann announced his retirement from the game in June; with the ex-Red named as Peterborough’s new assistant manager in May.
Form Guide
Scunthorpe United’s last five League Cup results: (WLLWL)
Derby County 5-5 Scunthorpe United (Scunthorpe won on penalties)
Norwich City 2-1 Scunthorpe United
Barnsley 0-0 Scunthorpe United (Barnsley won on penalties)
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United 0-1 Reading
Barnsley’s last five League Cup results: (WLWLL)
Rochdale 3-4 Barnsley
Swansea City 3-1 Barnsley
Barnsley 0-0 Scunthorpe United (Barnsley won on penalties)
Barnsley 1-5 Southampton
Barnsley 0-2 Crewe Alexandra
Going to the match?
Scunthorpe United plays at Glanford Park, its address is as follows:
Glanford Park
Jack Brownsword Way
Scunthorpe
DN15 8TD
How to get there
By Road:
From all routes, M180: The ground has got be one of the easiest to find in the Football League. It is situated on the outskirts of Scunthorpe, very close to the motorway. Leave the M180 at Junction 3 and take the M181 for Scunthorpe. At the end of this motorway, you will see the ground on your right. Turn right at the first roundabout onto the A18 and right again into the large car park at the ground.
Car Parking:
Car parking at the ground is available for 600 cars, priced at very reasonable £3. Limited street parking available.
By Train:
The station is over two miles away from the stadium. Therefore a taxi is probably the easiest way to get to the ground.
Ticket Information
CASH ON TURNSTILES ONLY.Tickets for our Capital One Cup 1st Round clash at Scunthorpe United on Tuesday 11th August will be available to purchase
Tickets will be priced as follows:
Adults: £12
Over 65: £8
Under 21: £8
Under 16: £2
