Harrogate Town home preview for Tuesday night

[Sweden Stag]

Following the clinical 4-0 hammering away to Forest Green last Saturday, the Stags are at headquarters on Tuesday night. And the opponents are Harrogate Town, who have won on all three previous visits to One Call Stadium.

But after the defeat on One Call in the final home game of last season, the Stags went unbeaten in 18 League Two games spread over two seasons. And that run included the break of the Harrogate hoodoo as the Stags did a rout and in the end won to a comprehensive 4-1 scoreline.

But since that game in October last year, no side has managed to score more than twice against Harrogate in League fixtures, And they have won seven out of their last ten League Two fixture, have yet to lose in 2024 and sneaked into the playoff zone courtesy of a last-gasp 1-0 home victory against Colchester last Saturday.

The Harrogate away form this season has to be fair been very impressive. Eight wins, joint-highest with the Stags and Stockport is proof enough while their home form has been average at best, proved being one out of seven League Two sides to have seven home games so far this season. Last time out on the road, Harrogate drew at Stockport, while the Stags beat Notts County in their latest home fixture.

Unlike some other League Two sides, Harrogate Town have not pulled the panic button or trigger when it comes to management. Their current boss, Simon Weaver, have managed in North Yorkshire ever since the year 2009, a very good feat in modern football. Weaver has overseen the Harrogate rise from Conf North to League Two, where Harrogate Town now are in their fourth EFL campaign ever.

The 2020-21 season was Harrogate Town’s first ever in the EFL. Well there, they finished lower mid-table, one position below the Stags and lost ten home games, only Oldham and relegated Southend lost more on home soil that term. But Harrogate Town won eight games on the road, including their debut game, a comprehensive 4-0 victory at Southend. In the following season, Harrogate Town also lost ten at headquarters, more than any other surviving League Two side. Only that season’s two relegated sides, Oldham and Scunthorpe, lost more games at headquarters than Harrogate Town.

And in Harrogate’s third League Two campaign, they were bottom-half material. But there was at times been goals left right and centre at both ends in several games. The proof before last season’s game at One Call: 56 goals scored, by far the most of all sides in the bottom half, but 66 conceded. Only the then bottom three, including the sides which were to be relegated, have shipped more.

There has at least been THREE players who have played for the Stags and Harrogate Town in recent history. Research has revealed that Paul Bolland was the first one. Ten games for the Stags followed a loan move to Harrogate Town where he played 55 Conference North games over two seasons around 2012-13. And in the 2012-13 season, Harrogate Town reached the FA Cup second round for the first time. After beating Torquay, Harrogate Town lost the second round away replay at Hastings on penalties after an epic tie. The winner was drawn away to Middlesbrough in the third round, that same third round in which the Stags played Liverpool at headquarters.

The second player is John McCombe. Signed by Paul Cox upon the League Two return, he managed just a handful games for the Stags before leaving for York City. After playing for Macclesfield and Chester, McCombe signed for Harrogate Town and played 14 games for them during the 2017-18 before leaving for Boston United without playing. The most recent club for McCombe was Hyde United, a side the Stags faced during the 2012-13 conf winning campaign.

Warren Burrell played in the Stags’ final 2007-08 League Two fixture at Dagenham & Redbridge but has represented Harrogate Town since 2016, having played in over 200 EFL and Conf games since then.

Before reaching the FA Cup second round in 2012-13, Harrogate Town had reached the first round a decade earlier for the first time ever, losing at Farnborough to a 5-1 scoreline. In 2005-06, the first round was reached again, only to lose a replay against Torquay on penalties, but revenge was sealed in 2012 when Harrogate again were drawn against the Gulls. On November 3, 2012, Harrogate clipped the Gulls at a venue well-known to the previewer. At Plainmoor, Harrogate triumphed to a 1-0 scoreline and the long journey home to Yorkshire was definitely victorious.

Previous League games:

Home: P 3, W 0, D 0, L 3, GF 2, GA 6
Away; P 4, W 1, D 1, L 2, GF 4, GA 5

2020-21 0-1 2020-11-24 0-1 2021-02-23
2021-22 1-3 2021-09-04 0-0 2022-02-01
2022-23 1-2 2023-04-29 0-3 2022-11-19
2023-24 (at Harrogate) 4-1 2023-10-24

About time to break the Harrogate home hoodoo on Tuesday night. Come on Mansfield!