DONCASTER Rovers are confident of continuing Scunthorpe United's return to Championship action on Saturday.

With the worst of the weather seemingly in the past and temperatures rising, frost and ice have started to melt at the Keepmoat Stadium.

It didn't come soon enough for Rovers' home game with Ipswich on Tuesday, which was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

But it is unlikely to put Scunthorpe's visit on New Year's Day in doubt.

The club have also bought in hot air blowers to act as back-up, if needed.

"We are confident that, with the rise in temperatures and rain over the next few days, the game will go ahead," said the club's media manager, Steve Uttley.

"With temperatures falling to minus 12 degrees in the past few weeks the pitch was frozen hard, and even with a raise in temperatures the game against Ipswich could not go ahead.

"The frost sheets will protect to minus five but it had gone deep, so despite all the work the ground staff did, we could not get the game on.

"The sheets will remain on to protect the pitch at night.

"And we also have some warm air blowers, so we have no doubts over the Scunthorpe game."

United have 900 seating tickets remaining for the FA Cup third round clash with Everton, 400 in the Telegraph Stand and the rest in the Grove Wharf Stand.