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02
Apr
Harrogate Town ‘must be positive’ as season-defining weekend approaches
Harrogate Town must be positive as they prepare for a bank holiday double header which could be vital to their survival hopes, says manager Simon Weaver.
The Sulphurites travel to Grimsby Town tomorrow (April 3) and then welcome Bristol Rovers to Wetherby Road on Easter Monday (April 6).
With Town losing and their three relegation rivals winning last Saturday, Town must pick up points this weekend.
With six fixtures remaining, Weaver’s side must close the four-point gap if they want any chance of remaining in League Two.
The pressure is mounting quickly.
But the English Football League’s longest-serving manager said his side will have the best chance of survival with the right mindset:
We’ve got to be positive. [The players] have actually had a couple of days off midweek to have a bit of a reboot. No one came in in a depressive state. We pride ourselves on that.
Obviously, we were disappointed with the other results not going our way last weekend, but that seems a while ago now. We’re heading into double-headed fixtures over the weekend, and we’re really looking forward to them.
A tough Grimsby test
Harrogate face a tough test in David Artell’s Grimsby side, who gave The Sulphurites a run for their money in the reverse fixture.
The Mariners scored two late goals to equalise at Wetherby Road in August, after Conor McAleny’s strike off the bench put Town 3-1 up.
While Town’s form has significantly dropped off since then, Grimsby’s has not. One point away from the play-off spots, they still have everything to play for.
With both teams desperate to pick up points, the crowd could be treated to another thriller in Lincolnshire.
New signing Jaze Kabia scored two minutes into added time to equalise at Wetherby Road in August.
Weaver said:
Dave’s a good manager and has done a great job again at Grimsby this time round. I also think the following at Grimsby is superb. It’s better for everyone when you’re involved in the bigger grounds. It’ll be full, they’ll be optimistic, we’ll have good fans behind us and they know what we’re trying to achieve, so with that it’s a better atmosphere to play in for both sets of players and it encourages attacking play.
Plundered by The Pirates?
Bristol Rovers’ recent run of form has lifted them 14 points away from the relegation zone into 16th place.
Having won six of their last eight, Steve Evans’ side will pose a difficult challenge for Town.
This Bristol Rovers side is a far cry from the side that The Sulphurites beat 1-0 in the first game of the season.
Stephen Duke-McKenna scored the only goal as Harrogate beat Bristol Rovers 1-0.
New boss Evans needed some time to implement his ideas after his appointment in December, but The Pirates have looked like a completely different team in the last two months.
The former Leeds United, Rotherham and Peterborough manager has managed to win four more games than the previous manager, Darrell Clarke, in almost half the time.
The challenge will be made even more difficult, perhaps, by the fixture congestion.
Should Town be drawn into a high-intensity, attacking game against Grimsby, players could find themselves jaded on Easter Monday.
And with Harrogate Town’s injury record this season, the hope will be that no one is sidelined for the run-in.
Weaver said that team selection will be key:
We’ll be freshening the team up tomorrow, but we’re confident with every player that’s taking to the field. There’s good competition for places now in training and it’s never too late for players to take centre stage and impress.
Tom Hill's promising professional career has been plagued with injuries so far in North Yorkshire.
The Harrogate boss also confirmed that Liverpool academy signing Tom Hill’s tweaked hamstring meant that he would not be available for Grimsby, but would hopefully be fit for Monday’s fixture.
Hill had impressed on his return in a Town shirt after a period of repeated injuries. He capped off a brilliant performance with an assist in Town’s 3-0 win over Tranmere two weeks ago.
Harrogate will face Grimsby away at 3pm tomorrow, and Bristol Rovers at home at 3pm on Monday.
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