Cheltenham Town v Harrogate Town: Simon Weaver hoping for further road trip bliss

AWAY BONUS: Ellis Taylor - pictured in last week's home defeat to Barrow - will be hoping for better times on the road. Picture courtesy of Matt Kirkham.

Harrogate Town will be aiming to extend their unbeaten record on the road when they visit Cheltenham Town this Saturday (3pm).

The Sulphurites have made an underwhelming start to the new campaign, losing all of their home fixtures to date without managing to score a goal, but have fared much better away from Wetherby Road.

Simon Weaver’s men beat League One Lincoln City 2-1 at Sincil Bank in the Carabao Cup, then drew 3-3 with Accrington Stanley before edging to a 1-0 success over Colchester United down in Essex.

Those four points that they have earned on their travels are the only ones they have banked thus far, and 15th-placed Harrogate will be keen to take something from their trip to Cheltenham, who sit one point worse off in 19th.

FRUSTRATED: Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver. Picture courtesy of Matt Kirkham

Relegated from League One at the end of last term, the Robins kicked-off 2024-25 with a dramatic 3-2 home triumph over Newport County on the opening weekend, Joel Colwill netting a 96th-minute winner.

But they then conceded in stoppage time to lose by the same scoreline at Grimsby a week later, before suffering a 1-0 reverse when they entertained AFC Wimbledon.

Last Saturday saw Michael Flynn’s side slip to a third straight defeat, going down 2-1 away at Walsall.

If Town are to inflict more pain on Cheltenham, and extend their own impressive run away from home, then they will need to improve significantly on the “dross” they served up against Barrow last time out.

“There’s room for improvement and the players can be better than that,” said Weaver.

“But we've had a positive week and worked on aspects of what we want to be as a team and how we try to achieve that.

“Everybody has worked very well through the week, it’s been competitive, and everyone has come through well.”

Weaver added: “It’s hard to predict Cheltenham’s line-up at the minute.

“They've changed it around a bit the last few games in terms of system and players, so we really just have to focus our attention on being a better version of ourselves.”