Town look to cement play-off spot
HARROGATE Town fans might be getting a sense of deja vu.
The Wetherby Roaders are sat firmly among the candidates for promotion to the Blue Square Premier - and the visit of fellow flyers Southport tomorrow (3pm ko) will prove a real test of Neil Aspin's men's mettle.
Town will be looking to bounce straight back to winning ways tomorrow, having lost 1-0 at Farsley Celtic on New Years Day.
Town fans have often been teased with promotion before; last season's slide out of the play-off positions was all too familiar for those who have seen the club tantalise with title-winning form only to fall short under previous manager John Reed and last season, Aspin.
And with only 11 first-team players available for selection when the boss spoke to the Advertiser, Town look set for a jumpy start to 2009.
Fans favourite and goal grabber Danny Holland - who it was hoped might be back for tomorrow - is not yet ready to lace up his shooting boots once again as Town look to make up ground on 'Port and Tamworth at the top of the Blue Square North table.
Aspin said: "We need to bed Danny back in gently after his injury.
"He needs to get his match fitness back up before he can come back in."
Holland - who has four goals to his name so far this season - last donned Town's yellow shirt in early October in the 2-2 draw with Eastwood Town in the FA Cup.
Meanwhile, Danny Lowe picked up a knock in the 1-0 win against Farsley Celtic on Boxing Day and was, at the time of press, struggling for yesterday's trip to Celtic's Throstle Nest ground.
Jamie Smith played through illness upfront against Town's local rivals and is another doubt for tomorrow's important clash while Denny Ingram, Matty Young and Nathan Gray remain long-term absentees.
Aspin reverted from his usual 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 formation on Boxing Day - but he will be happy to have 11 players on the field tomorrow.
He said: "We really are down to the bare bones - we've just got to hope that we can patch up the injuries and get a squad together.
"It's impossible to get players in at such short notice and with the resources like they are, it's difficult.
"We're going to have to hang in there and see what the next couple of weeks brings."
Town fall to Farsley Celtic defeat
FARSLEY Celtic gained revenge for their 1-0 Boxing Day defeat by Harrogate Town, winning the reverse New Years Day fixture by the same score at Throstle Nest
The west Leeds side's win means Town slip to fifth in Conference North.
Both teams were forced to make one change to their starting line-up. Town gave a debut to new signing Gavin Rothery, coming in for the injured Danny Lowe. For Farsley, Tom Penford started in place of the suspended Craig Bentham
Town started the game well on top, and an early on target Nathan Peat free kick was saved by Curtis Aspden. Soon after the Farsley shot stopper was in action again, parrying away Luke Malcher's inital shot and then saving again to deny Jamie Smith from the rebound. On 12 minutes Rothery did very well to pull back the ball to Smith, but the striker knocked the ball wide with the goal at his mercy.
The only goal of the match was scored on 64 minutes when Farsley substitute Mark Jackson rose to nod into the net from a Downes corner kick, Town's appeals for a foul against Farsley's assistant manager going unheard.
Harrogate Town: Jim Provett, Ryan Toulson, Gavin Rothery, Aaron Hardy, Justin Whittle, Nathan Peat, Luke Malcher, Darren Dunning, Jamie Smith (Nathan Cartman), Richard Marshall, Michael Roddy (Danny Holland)
Subs Unused: Liam Ormsby, Jonathon Hedge
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Weather for Harrogate
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
