Monty Patterson, one of Monday’s two hat-trick heroes as the U23s beat Watford 8-0 at Portman Road, is set to rejoin Vanarama National League Braintree on loan. The 20-year-old spent two months with the Iron before Christmas.
Manager Mick McCarthy says the loan deal, which is close to being completed, could run to the end of the campaign but Town will be able to recall the New Zealand international should they want to bring him into the first team later in the season.
"He’s going back [to Braintree],” he said. "I always have a recall on them, that’s to protect them, to protect me, to protect the club.
"If we’ve five games to go and nothing can happen, there’s no pressure on, then we may well bring him back and give him games.”
He added: "Bearing in mind he plays in Tom Lawrence’s position, if Tom Lawrence is fit [he’s probably not going to be involved in the Town first team] unless the season dictates that we can’t go up, can’t go down, can’t do anything with a few games to play.
"But at the moment it looks like he’ll go back to Braintree on loan because that’s what’s helped him get in the U23s and play like he did the other night because he wasn’t doing that prior to that. It’s been a real benefit to him going out and playing.”