Harrogate Town continue to break new ground this evening when they travel to Premier League West Bromwich Albion in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

The game at the Hawthorns will be the first time Harrogate have played a club from the top tier of English football in a competitive fixture.

It will also be the first time they’ve played live in front of the Sky Sports cameras. The match kicks off at 6pm.

Harrogate sealed their place in the second round when they beat Tranmere Rovers on penalties this month and they’ve continued to look impressive in the early stages of the new season.

The team made a dream start to life as an English Football League club on Saturday when they thrashed Southend United 4-0 away from home, with two goals from Jack Muldoon and a goal apiece from Lloyd Kerry and Aaron Martin.

However, West Brom will be a different proposition entirely as their squad is littered with internationals. The Baggies finished second to Leeds in last season’s Championship, earning promotion to the Premier League.

West Brom manager Slaven Bilic is expected to make changes from the side that lost 0-3 to Leicester City at the weekend. Experienced striker Charlie Austin is pushing for a start and winger Matt Phillips could also return to the side after an injury.

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver will be tempted to name the same team that beat Southend at the weekend, which saw four new signings on the substitutes bench.

Where to watch the match on TV

Pubs confirmed to be showing the game live in Harrogate tonight include The Empress, The Harrogate Arms, and The Alexandra. Fans are encouraged to book a table ahead of the game.

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Harrogate return to football league action on Saturday with a home tie against Walsall, which will be played at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium due to Town laying grass at the newly renamed EnviroVent stadium.

The EFL invited clubs to apply to pilot the return of fans to this weekend’s fixtures, with 1,000 supporters permitted at matches.

But Harrogate told the Stray Ferret they didn’t apply because Doncaster’s stadium operations manager is currently absent from work on sick leave.

Harrogate Town supporters will be able to watch the club’s fixtures in League Two online for £10 a game.

The EFL said the streaming offer is temporary and will be in place whilst clubs operate at a zero or reduced capacity due to social distancing measures. It will cover any game that is not shown live by Sky Sports and the service will be reviewed in early October.

The government has said a limited number of fans can return to sports stadiums from October 1, subject to coronavirus infection rates.

Harrogate Town said they have decided to not include the streaming service in a season ticket, and will rather encourage supporters to purchase games as they wish for £10. Season ticket holders will not be charged for games they can’t attend.

EFL chief executive David Baldwin said:

“It’s important that whilst the doors remain fully, or part shut, we ensure there is the ability for fans of all EFL clubs to be able to gain access and watch their team and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sky Sports for their support in this matter.

“Collectively, it’s not our preferred situation but given the circumstances covid has presented us it gives us a temporary option whilst we finalise our plans for fans returning.”

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Town’s first-ever campaign in League Two kicks off on September 12 with a trip to Southend.

The first few home games of the season will be played at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium as the artificial 3G pitch at the CNG Stadium is replaced with grass due to EFL regulations.

Harrogate Town supporters were able to watch their team play in person for the first time since March last night as Brighouse Town allowed 100 Town supporters to attend a pre-season friendly, which ended 0-0.

Nine races will be held at Ripon Racecourse today as the venue opens for the first time since March.

It will be a very different atmosphere for the sport, with no crowds cheering on the horses as they cross the line.

Instead, one-way systems, social distancing markers and a new 34-berth jockey changing room in what is usually a bar will greet participants as they arrive.

Marketing manager Jonathan Mullin told The Stray Ferret there had been a significant number of changes and he was confident of a successful first day:

“We’ll see how it goes, but we think we’re pretty much ready to go. The track looks as great as ever. Things seem to have gone well elsewhere with the resumption of racing.”

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Today’s card features nine races, with more than 90 horses set to take part. There had been a lot of interest in upcoming dates at Ripon, Mr Mullin said, but as more events had opened up, demand had begun to return to normal levels.

There is a limit on the number of people who can accompany horses to the course, so owners are unable to be there, but Mr Mullin said the biggest difference will be the lack of an audience.

“That’s the snag. It’s going to be very strange racing without a crowd. When you’re preparing for your season, you’re gearing towards attracting people to come racing and trying to ensure they have a good time.

“There’s not going to be any of that – it will be a sterile atmosphere – but that’s what we’ve got to work with, so we will do our best.”

With the next day of racing not until July 8, the team at Ripon Races will be making any needed tweaks to their set-up over the next two weeks. Fixtures are already set up for July 14 and 24, as well as August 6, 16 and 31.

Racing gets under way today at 4.30pm and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing.

Horseracing at Ripon resumes on June 20th, albeit behind closed doors and with strict social distancing measures in place.

For James Hutchinson, who is clerk of the course and managing director of Ripon Racecourse Company, it has been a long wait since the autumn, when the last meeting was staged at Yorkshire’s ‘garden racecourse’.

This season’s April and May meetings were wiped out by Covid-19, but James (pictured below, left at a pre-coronavius meeting) remains philosophical.

He told The Stray Ferret:

“There’s no point in looking back at what didn’t happen, we’d rather look forward and hope that it won’t be long before we can open our gates to racegoers once more.”

Before then, in addition to the evening meeting on Saturday 20th June, there will be meetings on 8th and 24th July and the 6th, 16th and 31st August – all behind closed doors.

On each date, there will be an eight-race card with a maximum of 12 runners per race, ensuring that the number of stable staff, jockeys and trainers present will be in manageable numbers, alongside the course’s own employees, stewards, clerk of the scales, starter, vets and ambulance crews required to attend.

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Social distancing and hygiene measures will be in force across the course, in the changing room and the parade ring and, like the first meeting since lockdown staged at Newcastle,  jockeys will wear face masks before, during and after each race.

While punters will be unable to watch the action on course, the races will be live on Sky Sports Racing Channel and with bookmakers due to reopen from 15th June, those who want a bet will be able to do so and watch the racing action beamed into the betting shops.

James, pointed out:

“We are pleased to be back racing again, though it will be strange not to have racegoers present. We simply hope to complete the fixtures through to the end of August as safely as possible for all involve and take it from there, but to paraphrase the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ‘we’ll be back!'”