The first of two games in three days sees United travel up to Glanford Park to take on Scunthorpe United, who beat Oxford in last season’s penultimate game to ensure their play-off place. The match saw midfielder James Hunt sent off and, ironically, Saturday’s game is the first one that he is eligible for following his three match suspension. He is unlikely to start though, given the form of the current midfield trio of Derek Townsley, Paul Wanless and Danny Brown, but he may come onto the bench.

Also likely to be available again after injury is Andy Scott. Scott may also have to make do with a place on the bench as Steve Basham is in awesome form up front and has struck up a good partnership with fellow striker Julian Alsop. Alsop will miss the Kidderminster game through suspension after being dismissed against Hull last week.

Central defenders Paul McCarthy and Dave Waterman are both unlikely to feature following injury and may need another week or two each before they start to challenge for a place. Long-term injury victims Lee Steele and Jamie Brooks won’t feature for some time, although there was heartening news for Brooks who played over half an hour of United’s reserve fixture at Bristol City yesterday. Both players could be looking at an October comeback.

Scunthorpe have not started the season off too well. They beat cash-strapped, administrated Oldham in the League Cup and won narrowly at Bury last weekend, but they were beaten by Bristol Rovers on the opening day. United have lost the last four meetings between the two clubs, and haven’t won at this grim northern outpost since the first time the two clubs met, in October 1965. The attendance at last season’s game was the best between the two clubs in Scunthorpe. All of which leads us to predict a 1-0 defeat, with Scunny scoring their habitual last minute goal against us.

A Swansea preview will probably appear on Sunday. If anyone wishes to write a match report of the Scunthorpe game please send it to website@rageonline.co.uk before Sunday lunchtime, thanks.

Two players who were on trial with United during this last close-season have found new clubs. Adam Van Dommele, the young Australian centre-back who scored both goals in United’s 2-1 win over Wantage, has joined Hartlepool on a short-term contract. Leon Constantine, who never actually played for the Us, has signed for Southend.