Stuart can’t McCall on George Thomas for Rochdale meeting

Scunthorpe boss Stuart McCall will be without midfielder George Thomas for his first home Sky Bet League One game in charge.

Thomas, on loan from Leicester, will miss the visit of Rochdale as he is on international duty with Wales Under-21s, yet McCall expects a couple of unnamed players to recover from knocks.

On-loan Chelsea forward Ike Ugbo will return to the squad after he was cup-tied for the midweek Checkatrade Trophy tie against Wolves.

McCall has no new injury concerns, but goalkeepers Rory Watson (broken arm) and Matt Gilks (knee) remain long-term absentees.

Rochdale boss Keith Hill handed a debut to 15-year-old Luke Matheson in the midweek Trophy win against Bury and it remains to be seen whether the defender features on Saturday.

Matheson became the club’s youngest-ever player when he replaced Connor Randall, who sustained a suspected fractured cheekbone.

Striker Zach Clough, a recent loan signing from Nottingham Forest, is hoping to make his league debut for the club.

Defender Sam Hart is pushing for his first appearance since returning to Dale on loan from Blackburn at the end of last month.