SCUNTHORPE United's Championship status is theirs to lose, according to striker Paul Hayes.

And upon closer scrutiny of the Iron's run-in, few will argue with the 26-year-old.

Plymouth, Peterborough and Reading are all due at Glanford Park in the final 12 games of the campaign.

Throw in trips to Preston and today's opponents Ipswich Town, and there are five games against sides in the lower reaches of the division.

Having spent the majority of the campaign outside the bottom three, it would be a cruel blow for United to fall into the drop zone now.

That is something that Hayes is well aware of, suggesting there is precious little room for error in the fight for survival.

"As you look at it, our destiny is in our own hands," Hayes told the Telegraph.

"We are above the drop zone, we have a game in hand over Sheffield Wednesday and maybe, on paper, we have the easier run-in.

"No game is obviously easy but we have got to play Reading, Peterborough and Plymouth all at home and they are winnable games, especially at home.

"In a way our destiny is in our hands and we have just got to make sure that we do it – this (last 12 games) is our season, it will make or break us.

"It all comes down to luck, confidence, it's everything. You have got to make sure you win games, it doesn't matter how you do it.

"You have got to be clinical in both boxes, where you defend yours with all you can and you make sure you put your chances away when they come.

"The ones who don't do it are the ones who will get relegated."

For the full story, see Saturday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.