Ambitious Harrogate Town believe they can be better than mid-table and are determined to kick on in 2022

The postponement of their Boxing Day derby at Bradford City and Wednesday's home clash with Mansfield due to Covid-19 outbreaks in their opponents' camps means that Simon Weaver’s men will not play again until January 1 when they host Port Vale at Wetherby Road.

They will begin that fixture 11th in the League Two standings, within touching distance of the play-off places and with an EFL Trophy last-16 tie with Carlisle United to look forward to in the New Year.

And although they have probably exceeded most people’s expectations this term, Town’s manager says that he and his players have to demand more of themselves over the coming months.

“We’re not happy being mid-table and we wouldn’t have been happy going out [of the Trophy] at Tranmere just before Christmas,” he said.

“We want to be a different proposition from now. We want to be more ambitious, have more drive about us and keep wanting more, not just happy that we’ve got some talented players who are looking alright for their individual purposes. Ours is a team purpose and we want to keep moving forwards.

“We’re in the last 16 of the Trophy and it’s exciting. We’ve got a home draw in the next round, which I’m sure will be a hard one again, against Carlisle who are never an easy opponent.

“It’s not a bad place to be at all, but we have got to keep getting better. We believe and back the lads. What we see in training, we firmly believe that they can be better than mid-table.

“It’s there to be had this league, but we have to keep the ball as well as we did second half [in their 2-1 success at Tranmere], we have to have that cutting edge and also be more resilient at the back.”

Town’s showdown with fifth-placed Port Vale kicks-off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.