Scunthorpe United will have it all to do at Bramall Lane this weekend, but will go into the game knowing that either maximum points or a draw could propel them into the top six at the death. They currently lay in 7th following a 1-0 victory at home to Port Vale and are level on points (71) with 6th placed Barnsley. In what is a three horse race between themselves and Gillingham, the Iron will be hoping for maximum points in S2 and hoping that neither the Tykes (at Wigan) nor the Gills (vs. Millwall) fail to claim maximum points from their respective fixtures.
Leading marksman Paddy Madden headed Scunthorpe to a 1-0 victory against Port Vale to keep alive their hopes of gate-crashing the play-offs. He broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with his 22nd goal of the season to steer United to a fifth successive win. In front of 7,275, by far their biggest crowd of the season, Scunthorpe struggled to get going in the first half as they chased a fifth successive. Luke Williams was the main danger man for the home side, pulling one right-foot shot wide of the far post and testing keeper Jak Alnwick with a longer-range effort.
Vale's only real reply was a header from a free-kick from centre-back Ryan McGivern that provided an easy save for Luke Daniels. Scunthorpe began to gather their attacking momentum in the second half and finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute. Skipper Stephen Dawson was the architect with a driving run into the box before pulling back a cross high to the far post, where Madden outjumped the Vale defence to plant a header into the roof of the net for his 22nd goal of the season.
Hakeeb Adelakun almost made it 2-0 but his deflected shot from the edge of the box was beaten away by keeper Alnwick. Vale used all three substitutes to try and get back into the game but their own run of three successive wins came to an end.
Five straight wins have given Graham Alexander's Scunthorpe hope of muscling in on the play-off positions on the final day of the regular season. If the Iron better Barnsley's result away to champions-elect Wigan, or match it and improve their goal difference sufficiently, they will book an improbable place in the top six despite having struggled to find consistent form for much of the campaign. Sean McAllister is pushing to return for the first time since December after missing out on a projected comeback in last week's win over Port Vale.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Sheffield United 1 Scunthorpe United 1
