Forest Green Rovers v Harrogate Town: Simon Weaver wants repeat display

The Sulphurites travel to already-promoted Forest Green Rovers aiming to build on last weekend’s 3-0 home success over Carlisle United, a game which saw them deliver their most positive display in some time and create a hatful of goal-scoring opportunities.

And Weaver wants his charges to prove that their performance last time out was not just a one-off against opposition with nothing to play for by going toe-to-toe with the League Two leaders, who are still fighting to be crowned champions. 

“I’m glad we got the win last week and that means that we will go down to Forest Green full of confidence,” the Town chief said. “I don’t know if it’s a good time to be playing them because I’m sure that they will be desperate to win the league, but it’s a game that represents a good opportunity for our lads.

“We performed well against Carlisle and the players passed the ball like we wanted them to. This is a chance to show they can do it against the best team in the division.

“There was some good football last week, but with all due respect to Carlisle, the league table doesn’t lie. It’s one thing doing it in a one-off game against them,  this is an opportunity to show they can do it again but against opposition who will be playing League One football next year. That’s the challenge for us.”

Last Saturday’s victory saw Harrogate end a run of four consecutive defeats and come out on top for just the second time in 13 attempts.

That result took their points tally for the season to 50 and lifted them one place to 19th in the table. By contrast, Forest Green have 83 points to their name, but have had a wobble in recent weeks, winning just one of their last five.

Town’s struggles have owed much to their huge injury list, one which shows no signs of shrinking.

“I don’t think any of the lads we have injured at the moment who aren’t already ruled out for the season have a chance. We will travel down there with the same squad that played Carlisle,” Weaver added.

“This weekend is going to be too soon for Lloyd Kerry, I’m afraid.
He started his running again on Tuesday, so that’s promising, but I very much doubt he will be ready for Forest Green.”