Harrogate Town v Gillingham FC: Sulphurites ready to return to ‘grind’ of survival bid

A goalless draw at Chesterfield last time out moved the Sulphurites 11 points clear of the relegation zone and into a relatively healthy position heading into their final eight fixtures of the 2024/25 season.

Back on home soil, where they have been in superb form of late, and boosted by that useful point and the clean-sheet that came with it last weekend, manager Simon Weaver feels that Town should be able to approach their showdown with the Gills in confident frame of mind.

"It is an absolute grind, the season - especially when you are in that bottom third, so we have got to keep our heads up,” the Harrogate boss said.

“We will keep trying to do the right things and five of the last eight games are at home, where we have won four and drawn two of the last six.

“So, we are looking forward to going back to Wetherby Road and can do so with even more belief after Chesterfield.

"The Newport loss was a bit of a shock to the system, and I thought that the reaction from that disappointment was so important.

"Yes, we have missed opportunities [at Chesterfield], but we haven’t half defended well and could take pleasure in the point because everything that we worked on worked for us.”

Town go into this Saturday’s fixture 21st in the League Two standings, while Gillingham sit just two places and two points better off in 19th position.

Although they will arrive in North Yorkshire unbeaten in three of their last four matches, the Gills have come out on top in just one of their previous 16 League Two outings.

That solitary victory came against Morecambe on March 1, since when Gillingham have lost 3-1 at Newport before managing back-to-back draws against Accrington and Walsall.

And that run of form led to John Coleman being replaced as manager by Gareth Ainsworth earlier this week, after the charismatic ex-Wycombe boss was lured away from League One strugglers Shrewsbury.

The last time the sides met, in late November, Harrogate came from a goal down to triumph at Priestfield thanks to second-half strikes from Anthony O’Connor and Josh March.

That result followed on from the 5-1 thrashing that the Sulphurites enjoyed when Gillingham visited Wetherby Road at the end of last season.

The Kent outfit’s only prior trip to Harrogate took place a season earlier, in 2022/23, with that game ending goalless.