Harrogate Town v Stockport County: Joe Mattock and Will Smith expected to return

Experienced defender Joe Mattock missed Harrogate Town's trip to Carlisle United last weekend, but is expected to be available for selection when the Sulphurites take on Stockport County this Saturday. Picture: Harrogate Town AFC

Both men were missing from last weekend's 1-0 success at Carlisle United, though neither player's injury was particularly serious.

The experienced Mattock felt a twinge in his groin in training just 24 hours before the Sulphurites' game in Cumbria and so was not risked, while Smith's absence was also precautionary following his recent return from nine months out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

"Joe Mattock felt his groin on Friday and pulled out of training," Town boss Simon Weaver told the Harrogate Advertiser.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver. Picture: Matt Kirkham

"He said it had improved by Saturday but it still felt like a six out of 10 in terms of how painful it was. When someone pulls out on Friday, it's a bit of a risk to play them on the Saturday, so I decided not to take the chance.

"And we wanted to go with quite an attacking bench, plus Warren [Burrell] is capable of playing anywhere across the back-line, so I felt as if we were covered anyway.

"Will is very close. It was just precautionary on Saturday. He's really been stepping it up this week and looked fantastic in training on Tuesday.

"It's nothing serious with him, but because of the operation he had, there have been a few different things going off inside his knee and he's just getting used to some new sensations as he progresses with his rehab. We've just been trying to look after the mental side of things as much as anything after he sustained what was a catastrophic injury."

Mattock and Smith’s availability means that 20th-placed Town will take on seventh-placed Stockport missing just three members of their first-team squad through injury.

Centre-half Kyle Ferguson (knee) is however said to be closing in on a return to action, though midfielder Stephen Dooley (groin and foot) remains some way away from being able to play again.

And right-back Kayne Ramsay will miss the rest of the season having fractured an eye socket, cheek-bone and his jaw as well as breaking his nose in the dying moments of Saturday’s victory over Carlisle.