Harrogate Town v Bradford City: More than Yorkshire pride at stake for Sulphurites on derby day

But, even at this early stage of the season, more than just local pride will be at stake for the Sulphurites on Saturday lunchtime (1pm).

Simon Weaver’s out-of-form team are in desperate need of three points – or at the very least a goal and share of the spoils – having gone seven matches without a win in all competitions.

They have lost six of those games, failing to score from open play in more than 10.5 hours of football, and now find themselves hovering just above the League Two drop zone.

By contrast, the Bantams are unbeaten in six – winning four of those matches - and currently occupy the division’s final play-off berth.

History is however on the side of the North Yorkshiremen, Town having come out on top in all four of the previous competitive encounters between the sides.

Last season, Jack Diamond bagged a brace to fire Weaver’s men to a 2-0 success on home soil, before they fought back from a goal down to triumph 3-1 at Valley Parade.

The Sulphurites’ first-ever Football League campaign also saw them do the double over Bradford, winning 1-0 away in front of live Sky Sports cameras courtesy of a Lloyd Kerry goal, then 2-1 at home thanks to Josh McPake’s late stunner.

And, while Harrogate’s perfect record in this fixture has to come to an end at some point, their current predicament means they’ve never needed a result against City as badly.

Nothing is decided in October. And, Saturday’s game isn’t a ‘must-win’ in the sense that another defeat would have immediate consequences with another 35 league matches remaining. But, such a run of form, compounded massively by the lack of goals, is starting to take its toll both on the terraces and on the pitch.

Sections of the Harrogate fan-base were already unhappy before a ball was kicked this term, largely, but not exclusively as a result of the club’s decision to increase matchday admission prices and reallocate seats previously assigned to some season-ticket holders.

Early victories over Swindon and Gillingham meant that there was initially little scope for the fair-minded to be too disappointed with Weaver’s new-look side’s performance, however recent results have quite rightly sparked serious concern among supporters.

On the field of play, performances haven’t been great, though they possibly haven’t been as consistently bad as results would suggest.

That said, Town’s failure to score in nine of the 12 games they have participated in so far this season is a frightening statistic. It is also one which is now clearly weighing heavy on the shoulders of their attacking players.

Evidence of this was plain for all to see during last Saturday’s last-gasp 1-0 loss at Stevenage. In Harrogate’s previous match, at Stockport, there were chances on the counter-attack to snatch a late winner, but on each occasion the visiting players made the wrong decision in possession or just failed to get the final ball right.

They looked as if they lacked a little bit of conviction in and around the penalty area. Against Stevenage, that had progressed to them being seemingly devoid of any confidence at all.

The only genuine goal-scoring opportunity the Sulphurites had at the Lamex Stadium was created by home defender Dan Sweeney’s sloppy pass across the edge of his own box, presenting Josh Coley with a one-on-one chance that he could not convert.

Other than that, Town were completely toothless, and when they did get into decent areas to put a ball into the box or potentially hurt Boro, there was no cutting edge whatsoever.

Too often, the ball went backwards or an easy sideways pass was played rather than someone being prepared to take a risk and try and make something happen. It all appeared a bit tentative and rather inhibited. They seemed like an attacking unit that was collectively and individually hoping they would create a chance rather than expecting to, or being determined to force the issue.

The absolute minimum requirement against the Bantams, regardless of personnel or system, is that Weaver’s players go out believing they can open their opponents up and put the ball in the back of their net. There is, without question, enough quality in their ranks.

Big derby game that it is, the magnitude of Saturday’s contest won’t be lost on anyone in Town’s camp, attacker or defender.

Yet, although there is pressure on them to get a result, Harrogate’s former City favourite Rory McArdle insists that neither he nor his team-mates can wait for the first whistle.

The veteran centre-half spent five years as a Bradford player, but is yet to face his old side in Town colours having missed both of last season’s fixtures between the clubs due to injury.

"It’s going to be great, you only have to look at the game here last year, and away, the atmosphere, how intense it can be,” the 35-year-old said.

"When the fixtures come out at the start of the year, it’s a game that people will look out for.

"It’s one we are looking forward to, one we really can’t wait for.”