Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver ready to welcome back 'leader' Will Smith

The Sulphurites host promotion-chasing Newport County on Saturday as they seek a response to their 3-2 defeat at Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night.

Smith was one of the top performers for Harrogate during the early months of the League Two campaign, but has been sidelined since early November after suffering an injury against Tranmere when the sides met last autumn.

Town could welcome back a host of players for this weekend’s contest giving Weaver some selection headaches, with Dan Jones also nearing a return from injury while Lloyd Kerry has completed his three-game ban following his red card at Cambridge United.

“People are coming back from injury,” said Weaver as his side look to end a run of four games without a win.

“We are looking forward to having his leadership qualities at the back. We have been quiet. We have won some headers and lost some headers.

“We need to be more aggressive getting up the pitch and he [Smith] will be a great influence on the team when he is back.

“Dan Jones looks in great nick in training, he is not far off being back.”

Weaver has been encouraged by the club’s new arrivals with Josh McPake and Josh March both getting themselves on the scoresheet on Tuesday evening.

He added: “In terms of going forward, we have got more influential lads in attack now. The young lads are proving to be a breath of fresh air, both in training and with their impact on the pitch so far.

“We were too reliant on Jack Muldoon but with Josh March, Simon Power and Josh McPake, we are now a threat.

“However, we need to start keeping clean sheets.”