Grimsby Town v Harrogate Town: Sulphurites aiming to complete first league double

The Sulphurites have taken just two points from a possible 12 on offer since their dramatic 3-2 Boxing Day triumph over the Mariners at Wetherby Road, visiting goalkeeper Max Crocombe inadvertently diverting Kayne Ramsay’s stoppage-time strike into his own net.

Since that victory – their third in succession – Simon Weaver’s men have lost to Bradford City and Colchester and drawn with Hartlepool and Stevenage.

But, with the teams below them in the table having picked up in recent weeks, 20th-placed Town need a league victory sooner rather than later if they are to maintain what is currently a reasonably healthy, if not huge gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

Success at Blundell Park this weekend could see Harrogate pull eight points clear of the bottom two, however defeat to Paul Hurst’s men will see their cushion cut to four points if 23rd-placed Hartlepool beat Rochdale (22nd).

Awaiting them in Cleethorpes are a Grimsby outfit who have struggled for consistency of late following a pretty solid start to the season.

Currently 16th in the table, the Mariners have been thrashed 4-1 at home by Salford and then 5-0 away at Swindon since their festive loss to Town, but sandwiched in between those disappointments were fine 1-0 wins over in-form Stockport County and League One Burton Albion – in the FA Cup.

"The aim has to be go to Grimsby and win,” Weaver told the Harrogate Advertiser. “We gained a really good point against Stevenage last weekend, we ground it out and I was really pleased to see the lads do that despite the elements and against such powerful opposition.

"We can take a lot from that performance and result, but we will need to show those same qualities again at Grimsby. It's a difficult place to go.

"We have to be able to deal with balls into the box and stay resolute, something we did very well for the most part against Stevenage. But, at the same time, the pitch there is nice and big, so we have to go there prepared to try and make the most of that and play football.

"I know they are coming off the back of a heavy defeat to Swindon in their last game, but that just means they will be hungry to bounce back.

"Whoever we pick to play on Saturday has to know that it's going to be a real challenge at Grimsby and they've got to be right on it. The crowd there, they get right behind their team and we have got to be able to withstand that."

History is on the side of Town, who have won all of their three previous Football League meetings with Grimsby, Jack Muldoon bagging a brace to secure a 2-1 victory on their last visit to North East Lincolnshire.

And the Sulphurites will be boosted by the return of versatile forward Muldoon and midfielder Josh Austerfield after the pair missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Stevenage through illness, while Matty Daly (knee) is also fit again.

It remains to be seen whether striker Dior Angus (foot) and right-back Ramsay (quad) will shake off knocks in time. Centre-half Kyle Ferguson (knee) and midfielder Stephen Dooley (groin and foot) remained sidelined.

New recruit Matty Foulds could make his debut after joining on loan from Bradford City earlier this week.

Kick-off at Blundell Park is at 3pm on Saturday.