Harrogate Town v Wrexham: Simon Weaver has mind games to play ahead of Sulphurites' big night

Simon Weaver spent his Monday trying to cheer his Harrogate Town players up for what he hopes will be a show of speed on Tuesday night.

Some are understandably aggrieved at the disproportionate interest celebrity owners have brought to Wrexham but the Sulphurites should feel knock-on benefits when Phil Parkinson's team are in town.

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They expect to beat their Football League record crowd of 3,234 and maybe even their all-time milestone of 4,280, set against neighbours Railway in 1950.

They go into it on the back of a first defeat in seven away matches, 2-1 at Crawley Town on Saturday, but if Weaver has his way, not downhearted.

CONFIDENCE: Simon Weaver says Harrogate Town put on one of their best away performances for some time on SaturdayCONFIDENCE: Simon Weaver says Harrogate Town put on one of their best away performances for some time on Saturday
CONFIDENCE: Simon Weaver says Harrogate Town put on one of their best away performances for some time on Saturday

"We probably played a lot closer to our best than we have done for some time," he argued.

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"It's my job as manager to make sure players appreciate how well they did play. On another day we could have scored six or seven goals quite easily.

"It's the opening of the new away stand so that brings (room for) 600 more fans against a team who will bring good numbers.

"We do like night games, it just brings something extra under the lights and it's a fixture that probably most teams are looking forward to because they've brought a bit of glamour to the league with their ownership and what they’ve done in transforming their club.

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"It's a great opportunity for everybody involved to go out and enjoy it on the fast pitch we play on and play with a fast passing game to try our best to disorganise what is a team with good pedigree attempting to win the title.”

Sam Folarin is out with a hamstring strain but Emmanuel Ilesanmi has returned from a loan at Winterton Rangers.