James Heneghan's Scunthorpe United v Northampton Town preview

Date/time: Tuesday, November 14, 7.45pm kick-off

Venue: Glanford Park

Forecast: 10C, cloudy

Outs and doubts: Scunthorpe: Josh Morris (hamstring), Andrew Crofts (international duty), Sam Mantom (groin), Luke Williams (hamstring), Jonathon Margetts (knee), Simon Church (knock). Cobblers: Matt Grimes (suspended), Daniel Powell (hamstring), Matt Ingram (ineligible) Sam Hoskins (leg), Alex Revell (groin), Aaron Phillips (thigh), Regan Poole (intentional duty), Leon Barnett (Achilles)

Betting: Scunthorpe 8/11, draw 13/5, Northampton 4/1

Form guide: Scunthorpe WDDWWD, Cobblers WDDWWD

Possible line-ups: Scunthorpe (4-4-2): Gilks; Clarke, Goode, Burgess, Wallace; Adelakun, Ojo, Bishop, Holmes; Hopper, Novak. Northampton (4-3-3): Cornell; Moloney, Taylor, Pierre, Buchanan; McWilliams, Foley, Crooks; Waters, Smith, Long

Man in the middle: Robert Lewis

Last time out: Scunthorpe United 1 (Bishop) Bristol Rovers 0; Oxford United 1 Northampton Town 2 (Taylor, Long)

Most recent meeting: Saturday, November 4, 2017 – Northampton Town 0 Scunthorpe United 0

Record v Scunthorpe: P62 W21 D18 L23

Opposition view: With this the second of three games in 14 days against Northampton, Iron boss Graham Alexander said: “It’s one of those quirks of the fixture list – especially with the FA Cup and league being so close together, and then you get a replay.

“Each game can be different though, even against the same opponent. We have to prepare as a normal game and make sure we focus on what we need to bring into it.

“I’m sure by 5pm on Saturday we’ll be sick of the sight of each other and will be looking forward to facing somebody else. It’s a good game for both teams, we both know the possible opponent in the next round and I’m sure the motivation will be there to win the game for both clubs.”

James Heneghan’s preview: The FA Cup has not been kind to the Cobblers so far this season but win at Glanford Park tonight and nudge past Doncaster in round two and who knows what may await in the New Year.

When these two met at Sixfields 10 days ago, a replay was the last thing either wanted given their respective league battles and busy schedules but a 0-0 draw ensured they will have to do it all over again in Lincolnshire.

Both this game and the league fixture at Sixfields on Saturday – making it three meetings between the two in 14 days – are tough to call. Neither Northampton nor Scunthorpe have tasted defeat in each of their last six games and both are coming off important league wins at the weekend.

The initial tie at Sixfields was edged by the Cobblers and only the woodwork, on two occasions, kept United in the competition but now back at Glanford Park, where they’ve lost just five times in the past 32 league games, Graham Alexander’s men will fancy their chances.

It will not be made easy for them though with Cobblers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink planning to field a strong line-up despite his side’s rush of fixtures; this is their fourth game of seven in 21 days.

There will inevitably be changes from Saturday, with at least three enforced. Matt Ingram has been denied permission to play by QPR while Matt Grimes picked up his fifth booking of the season at Oxford and is therefore suspended tonight, and Daniel Powell looks certain to miss out through a hamstring injury.

David Cornell will come in between the sticks but it’s not quite so straightforward in the other positions with Shaun McWilliams, Matt Crooks and Sam Foley, among others, all battling over midfield places.

A first round FA Cup replay at Scunthorpe is not the most glamorous and enticing of matches but, currently six unbeaten, the Cobblers will not be lacking in motivation to make it seven.

Prediction: Scunthorpe United 1 Northampton Town 2