Mansfield Town v Harrogate Town: Simon Weaver calls for points, not patches
After three straight defeats, it is no surprise what Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver is looking for when his side begin their Football League Trophy campaign at Mansfield Town: "A win, really."
A positive start to the 2025-26 campaign has just stalled for the Sulphurites.
So whilst others will be treating the group stage of this competition very lightly, for him a trip to Field Mill means an opportunity to start turning patches of promise into points.
And although nothing that happens will affect Harrogate's League Two position there and then, Weaver believes it will have an impact in the longer term.
"It's about showing the same intensity in the first half on Tuesday as we did in the second half on Saturday," he said in reference to his side's 1-0 defeat at home to Crawley Town. "We have to complete a 90-minute job.
"We've raised expectations with performance levels but we don't want to battle it out in the bottom half or bottom third which you can soon do if you lose a few, which we have done now.
"We want to get on an exciting run again, build up momentum.
"It's not far off in terms of passages of play but it's a challenge to the players and to us all to be better so we get results."
The 7.45pm kick-off could also offer Doncaster Rovers loanee Booby Faulkner a chance to build on an encouraging first start in yellow and black.
"He showed his athleticism and his real desire to win the first ball and his pace to cover round," was Weaver's review of the centre-back's performance. “He's got a refreshing attitude to the game.
"He's got a good future. All signs are good."