Harrogate Town have to 'get the balance right' when they take on Stevenage FC

The Sulphurites travel to fourth-placed Boro 18th in the League Two standings and without a victory or even a goal from open play since they beat Gillingham on August 16.

And so, while their biggest challenge might be stopping a team who have won six out of six at home this term and netted 19 times already, Weaver is all too aware that his side need to carry a threat at the top end of the field.

“Stevenage are doing very well aren’t they. They were able to make five changes and rest a few of their regular starters against League One Wycombe in midweek and still win that game 3-0,” the Town boss told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“They are a big, physical side, but they also have some very good footballers. It’s no surprise to see them doing so well with the caliber of player they recruited in the summer.

“From our point of view, it will be a case of horses for courses in terms of how we set up. We know we have to compete fiercely in both boxes if we want to come away with a result.

“There will be a lot of long throws and balls into our penalty area to defend, so we will have to stand up to Stevenage and be competitive and play streetwise football like we did in the second half at Stockport.

“But we have to get the balance right. Of course we will need to match Stevenage, but we cannot afford to waste 90 minutes, we have to make sure that we get the ball down and play, try to get on the front foot and find ways to hurt them.”

Stevenage lost to fellow high-flyers Bradford City at the weekend, but Steve Evans’ side had won six out of eight prior to that 3-0 defeat in West Yorkshire.

And, their record against the Sulphurites is excellent. They are unbeaten in four League Two matches and are yet to concede even a single goal having drawn 0-0 twice at Wetherby Road while winning 1-0 at home in 2020/21 and then 3-0 last season.

On how he plans to set his side up as he goes in search of a first victory over Boro, Weaver added: “We have a few decisions to make. I’ve had my laptop out and my iPad and I’ve been going over some footage and looking at a few things.

"We will have a look at one or two different scenarios, look at a couple of different systems in training later this week and then work out the best way to go.

"We will be working hard to try and find the right formula for this game and, like I say, it will be horses for courses. But, the good thing now is that I believe that we have the depth in our squad to be able to change the shape or system and then line up with personnel in their best positions whether we decide to go with three at the back or 4-3-3 or play with two up front.

"I think that’s the big difference from previous seasons in the Football League when we’ve sometimes had to put out more or less the same 11 week after week.

"All the lads who came off the bench at Stockport last weekend did well and added something, so we might have a bit of a selection headache this Saturday.”