Harrogate Town v Cheltenham Town: Victory under Friday night lights will lift Sulphurites out of drop zone
Harrogate Town will escape the League Two relegation zone - for 24 hours at least - if they can beat Cheltenham under Friday night lights.
A much-improved run of form has seen the Sulphurites collect eight points from the last 12 on offer, leaving them within touching distance of safety.
After excellent recent results against promotion-chasing Cambridge and Chesterfield, then fellow strugglers Barrow, Simon Weaver and his men were left disappointed to only draw with top-of-the-table Bromley last time out.
But, they finally have some momentum behind them, and will climb above both 22nd-placed Barrow and 21st-placed Crawley and out of the bottom two for the first time in more than two months, if they manage to overcome the Robins at Wetherby Road.
On paper, Friday’s fixture looks like a huge opportunity for Harrogate.
Cheltenham will travel to North Yorkshire fresh off the back of a fine 3-2 successive over play-off hopefuls Salford City in their previous outing.
That victory was however their first in seven attempts following a winless run that stretched as far back as early January.
Indeed, despite initially benefiting from the new manager bounce that accompanied Steve Cotterill’s replacement of Michael Flynn in the Whaddon Road hot seat in September, the Robins have found the going tough of late.
Prior to them coming from behind to turn over 10-man Salford at the weekend courtesy of two late goals, the Gloucestershire outfit had taken just five points from a possible 27.
Last time the sides met at Wetherby Road, Harrogate emerged 2-0 victors in January of last year in another game that was played on a Friday evening.
On that occasion, the Sulphurites prospered thanks to a pair of fairly similar own goals from dangerous deliveries into the Cheltenham box.
Earlier this season, the spoils were shared at Whaddon Road after Conor McAleny converted a late penalty to earn Town a 1-1 draw.