Scunthorpe United are sweating on the fitness of a number of players ahead of this weekend’s derby game against Grimsby Town
Neil Cox told BBC Radio Humberside that striker Ryan Loft is a major doubt with a back injury, whilst his likely replacement Kenan Dunnwald-Turan has also been ruled out with a calf injury.
It leaves Cox short on striking options to face Paul Hurst’s side, with Aaron Jarvis a long-term absentee (hamstring) and talisman Kevin van Veen still a week or two away from a return despite Iron chairman Peter Swann revealing on the Iron Bru podcast he had ambitiously targeted the Grimsby game for his return.
With Olufela Olomola also a couple of weeks away from fitness, Cox revealed youngster Joey Dawson will be in the squad and could be set to make only his second senior appearance if given opportunity to impress from the bench.
Harrison McGahey is also a major doubt having aggravated a previous hamstring injury in the 1-0 defeat at Barrow, with Manny Onariase set to partner loanee George Taft in defence. John McAtee is also set to be assessed following a dead leg.
Elsewhere Mason O’Malley looks set to return to the starting 11, in place of the suspended Junior Brown, as Cox denied rumours he had fallen out with the youngster following a two game absence.
