Harrogate Town v Sutton United: Sulphurites' injury list is shrinking ahead of final push

Harrogate Town midfielder Levi Sutton in action against Gillingham. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The versatile Liam Gibson is expected to return having missed the Sulphurites' last six matches because of a hamstring issue, while midfielder Levi Sutton and right-back Derrick Abu should recover in time after picking up knocks during Tuesday's win over Grimsby.

And with defender Toby Sims closing in on full fitness following a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a troublesome back issue, play-off chasing Harrogate could well go into their last couple of games of the regular season at close to full strength.

"They [Sutton and Abu] will be late calls but we are hoping that they are going to be alright," Weaver said.

On-loan Southampton right-back Derrick has impressed Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver in recent matches.

"I think that Derrick has gone up a level over the last couple of games, so I'd be really keen to start him again. I think that he has broken through a psychological ceiling where he knows what it takes to be excellent at this level, so he has found himself a bit.

"Levi, I think he will be fine. He had a bang on his leg, it was affecting a nerve, it was a bit swollen but he seems to be coming round, but we will make a late call on that, to make sure that he is 100 percent.

"Liam Gibson should be fit enough to come back into the squad, so it's looking good at the minute injury-wise. Players are returning."

On what he expects from a resurgent Sutton side who head into the fixture just one point above the drop zone, but having won four of their last five, Weaver added: “If we thought it was physical the other night, it certainly will be on Saturday because Sutton are coming and there will be long throw-ins from both sides, they’re full of six foot-plus players and they are a physical handful.

"So, we are going to have to counter that and probably need a little bit of patience on the sidelines because it’s not easy when they make the pitch small at times and all gather around the first ball, and it does disrupt you and the pattern and flow of the game.

"They’ve had a really good run recently and they’ll now be thinking that they’ve got half a chance of staying up, so they’ll come and ramp it up and we are going to have to manage ourselves defensively in the 18-yard-box, just as we did the other night – and then take our moments to play.”

Kick-off at Wetherby Road on Saturday afternoon is at 3pm.