Grimsby Town v Harrogate Town: Sulphurites aiming to maintain superb Boxing Day record

The Sulphurites visit Blundell Park on Thursday afternoon for a 3pm kick-off on a run of four consecutive losses and in need of points in their quest to pull away from the wrong end of the League Two standings.

And although they face a tough test against opponents who are currently very much in the play-off picture, Simon Weaver's men do at least head into the fixture boasting a superb record in games played on December 26.

Town have won each of their previous four Boxing Day matches, stretching back as far as 2019, and have won three out of three since promotion to the Football League.

Last term, Harrogate came from behind to beat Accrington Stanley 2-1 at Wetherby Road, George Thomson netting a stoppage-time winner after Jack Muldoon had levelled things up.

The season before that, Town again enjoyed a dramatic late victory, overcoming Grimsby 3-2 thanks to another goal scored after the 90th minute as Mariners stopper Max Crocombe inadvertently diverted a Kayne Ramsay strike into his own net.

The Sulphurites' scheduled Boxing Day clash with derby rivals Bradford City did not take place in 2021/22 due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Bantams' camp, but in 2020/21 they recorded a 2-1 festive success on the road at Oldham Athletic.

Midfielder Thomson bagged a brace in that contest as Town again recovered from a losing position to take all three points.

In 2019, Harrogate's last December 26 outing as a National League club saw them take Hartlepool United apart, triumphing 4-1 on home turf thanks to strikes from Muldoon (2), Lloyd Kerry and Josh Falkingham.

You have to go as far back as 2018 for their last Boxing Day defeat, which came in the form of a 2-1 loss to Halifax at Wetherby Road.

Town also boast an excellent Football League record against the Mariners and are unbeaten in six League Two matches, winning five of those. The sides also drew 2-2 in an EFL Trophy tie back in September 2020, with Grimsby going on to edge the ensuing penalty shoot-out.

Town's most recent visit to Cleethorpes took place just over a year ago, in their final game before Christmas 2023.

On that occasion, they triumphed 2-1, scoring a goal in each half through Liam Gibson and Abraham Odoh and looking fairly comfortable until Kieran Green pulled one back for the hosts in stoppage time.

In 2022/23, Harrogate managed to hold out for a goalless draw in a match that the hosts had the better of, goalkeeper Mark Oxley making a couple of crucial saves to keep the scores level.

The Sulphurites' first League Two trip to Blundell Park, in October 2020, saw them leave with a 2-1 success after Muldoon registered twice in the first half.

Town's recent away form is however far less encouraging, Weaver's men having won just one of the previous eight on their travels in the league.

They will at least be able to take some encouragement from the fact that Grimsby have really struggled on their own patch of late, losing eight of their last nine home matches in all competitions.

David Artell's team were beaten 2-0 by Crewe earlier this month and although they thrashed Accrington 5-2 at the start of December, that was their first victory in Lincolnshire since September 21.