Harrogate Town determined to follow up FA Cup success with positive result against Morecambe FC, insists Jack Muldoon

The Sulphurites refocus their attentions on League Two football this weekend, with rock-bottom Morecambe the visitors to Wetherby Road.

Derek Adams' Shrimps have won just one of their opening 14 league matches this term and head to North Yorkshire on a run of three consecutive defeats.

And although 17th-placed Town will go into Saturday’s game as favourites and buoyed by their recent upset of the League One high-flyers, they have previous this season for failing to turn up directly after a decent result.

Simon Weaver's men slumped to a 3-0 loss at Crewe following their 2-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in front of live television cameras in September, then got thrashed 5-1 by MK Dons immediately winning another televised Yorkshire derby - against Bradford City - last month.

"It's so important that we back up Sunday's result this weekend," said Muldoon, who scored Town's winner against Wrexham.

"The gaffer has been speaking to us about this this week and we have also been working with a psychologist, who is trying to help us with our mindset in terms of dealing with situations better and not getting too high, or too low.

"This season we have been a team that tends to win one, then lose one, then draw one. We have struggled for that consistency and we haven't been able to build on our best performances in the very next game.

"It's obviously important to enjoy a victory like the one we had over Wrexham and take the confidence from that kind of a result into the next match, but also remember that we have a job to do.

"This Saturday, we have to make sure that we are ultra-professional. If we take the same attitude and intensity that we showed against a team of Wrexham's quality into the Morecambe game, then we know that we can get another result."

Muldoon's first-half match-winner against Wrexham saw him net with a fine glancing header from Stephen Duke-McKenna's left-wing corner.

It arrived as a result of some clever movement and a split-second decision.

"I've basically spent the last seven seasons standing on the goalkeeper at corners and trying to make it difficult for him to come and claim the ball," the 35-year-old explained.

"That's usually been my job, but there's only so much you can actually contribute in that role without actually giving away a free-kick.

"I don't know why, but on Sunday, the thought just came into my head to do something different. It was literally a split-second decision.

"I felt as if I could get a run on the lad who was marking me and I saw that Ollie Palmer hadn't opened his shoulders and wouldn't be able to see me coming from the way he was positioned.

"So I knew that if I timed it right and the delivery to the near post was a good one then I had a chance. So, I just went for it and the ball in from Dukey was perfect, I got the ideal contact on the header and it just all came together perfectly."

That goal was just Muldoon's second of 2024/25, and he is still yet to find the net in 13 League Two appearances (nine starts).

Looking back on his season as a whole, he added: "I'm fairly happy with my contribution overall. I feel like I have been playing okay, although I obviously would have liked to have chipped in with a few more goals.

"We have set up in a certain way in some games and I feel like we have been really good without the ball in terms of our shape and structure, how disciplined we've been and our work-rate.

"Obviously, the flip side of that is that we haven't been creating as many chances going forward and I don't feel like I've had loads of opportunities to score.

"Playing up front on your own can be challenging sometimes, especially if you are picking up the ball 20 yards inside your own half.

"But I'll always give everything for the team and I'll keep working hard and if I do that then I know that the goals will come.”

Town’s clash with Morecambe kicks-off at 12.30pm on Saturday.