Harrogate Town v Bromley: Sulphurites take on leaders with renewed confidence
HARROGATE TOWN boss Simon Weaver admits the mood in the camp is a “little bit lighter” as the Sulphurites look to continue turning their League Two campaign around against leaders Bromley.
The Sulphurites secured their first clean sheet in the league since September 20 in midweek when they completed a 1-0 double over fellow strugglers Barrow.
It means Town have now taken seven points from a possible nine and, while still second-bottom, now sit just two points off safety, ahead of back-to-back home games against Bromley and Cheltenham.
The biggest possible test to ending their current three-game unbeaten run arrives at the Exercise Stadium today in the shape of a Bromley team boasting a 14-game unbeaten run of their own and who sit three points clear at the top of the table.
The last time Bromley were beaten was back on November 29 at Walsall, leaving Weaver in no doubt as to the size of the task facing his players today.
But the recent upturn in form means the hosts head into the clash with renewed confidence.
“Things now feel a bit lighter in the changing room, we feel a bit lighter about ourselves and we’re in a positive mindset,” said Weaver, who will be without right-back Lewis Cass, who missed the midweek win at Barrow after picking up a muscular injury towards the end of last weekend’s draw against Chesterfield..
“No matter what happens on Saturday, we’ll be positive after the game and we’ll try to hit Cheltenham hard and perform to our capabilities.
“The lads need to know every little bit of information about what Bromley are about but we also have to carry out our aims in the game with the ball and making sure that the lads have confidence to take on to the field and start like we did against Cambridge and Barrow.”
Influential midfielder Bryn Morris and centre-half Chanse Headman could both feature despite being forced off on Tuesday evening at Barrow.
But, in addition to Cass, the Sulphurites will also be missing goalkeeper Mark Oxley (calf), centre-half Tom Bradbury (hamstring), midfielders Ben Fox (ankle) and Levi Sutton (hamstring), plus forwards Stephen Duke-McKenna (foot), Mason Bennett (quad) and Shawn McCoulsky (back).