Scunthorpe United are 'very hopeful' Eddie Nolan will be fit enough to ease a growing full-back crisis at Glanford Park.

The Irishman missed last weekend's goalless draw at Brentford with a calf injury, suffered while heading upstairs to eat some lunch at Glanford Park 48 hours ahead of the game.

In his absence, Andrew Wright returned to the starting XI on the left of the back four at Griffin Park, with midfielder Sam Togwell staying at right-back.

Wright though was sent off for picking up two bookings against the Bees, meaning he must now serve a one-game ban.

And with Cliff Byrne still not ready for first-team action, despite being back in full-time training, after a lengthy back complaint, Scunthorpe face the prospect of heading to MK Dons this weekend desperately short of options.

"Brassy (assistant manager Chris Brass) has staked a claim, but I've had to say no again," joked boss Alan Knill when asked about his defensive problems.

"We're very hopeful Eddie's going to be back on Saturday, but if he isn't we're going to have to reshuffle again.

"The ideal situation would be for him to be back, but it's a bit of a 'wait and see' situation at the minute."

Knill believes injuries are one reason why Scunthorpe have started the current campaign so slowly.

They have lost numerous first-team regulars for short spells already this season and ended Saturday's game in London with winger Garry Thompson at right-back and Togwell on the left.

"Togs has been playing out of position, doing a job," added the Iron chief.

"When we lost Eddie we had to put Wrighty at left-back, which isn't really his position, but he did quite well until the sending off.

"Now we're short again.

"We just seem to be losing one or two players all the time, whether it be through injury or sending off.

"It's been a disrupted team since the start of the season.

"Don't get me wrong, you want to be able to change every now and again to keep it fresh but usually you have a pretty stable team. We've not been able to do that."

The Iron had hoped to arrange a friendly match behind closed doors this week in a bid to give the likes of Byrne and Michael Collins, who been sidelined with tendonitis, some game time.

But Knill revealed that plan had not come to fruition, saying: "Everybody seemed to be playing."