Harrogate Town need to 'stand up' and 'shine' if they are to end losing run against League Two leaders Walsall

The injury-hit Sulphurites have served up a trio of poor performances in recent weeks, losing out to Salford, Wimbledon and most recently Tranmere in games in which they have been thoroughly second best.

That run has left Town in urgent need of a positive result to maintain the reasonably healthy seven-point cushion that currently exists between them and the League Two relegation zone.

And while Weaver appreciates how tough a task it will be to take points off the league leaders, he insists that his team has previous for delivering when up against it.

"We've tended to achieve our greatest moments as a club when our backs have been against the wall," he said.

"This is an opportunity to shine or an opportunity to go under, and I'd rather we took the former and we just go for it.

"It's time to stand up, especially when we have big players out. We have to find a way. We haven't found it in the last few games, admittedly, but we were closer on Saturday, and we were better last week than in the game before.

"So, hopefully, this week against top of the league Walsall - which is a tough task, I'm not going to shy away from that - it's about rising above everything.

"We have got competition for places around the corner, so the sun will shine again, I'm sure, it is just about putting in the man hours and standing up."

Town head into Saturday's fixture 20th in the table having won six of their opening 20 league matches, while Walsall sit four points clear at the summit with 12 victories from 19 outings thus far.

Undefeated in 10 league games, the Saddlers have lost just three times in League Two all season, with two of those reverses coming away from home.

They are however unbeaten in six on the road, winning four of those fixtures and keeping four clean-sheets while conceding only three goals.