Harrogate Town v Swindon Town: Sulphurites have fresh injury concerns ahead of Robins test

Midfielder Levi Sutton, who limped off with a tight groin in the second half of last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Bradford City, and winger James Daly could both miss out against the Robins.

Simon Weaver’s injury list has eased considerably in recent weeks, with long-term midfield casualties George Thomson and Josh Falkingham, plus fringe youngsters James Moorby and Jack Bray the only players unavailable to him.

But both Sutton and Daly have now picked up minor niggles.

"We’ve got to have a look at Levi because he came off with a groin strain,” Weaver said. “He is making good progress, though.

"Other than that, James Daly was feeling a knock as well, so it will be nip and tuck whether he is okay.”

Defensive duo Liam Gibson and Matty Foulds are now fit again, and although neither man was included in Weaver’s match day at 16 at Valley Parade last time out, the Town boss has confirmed that both players are in contention for a place in his squad this weekend.

"Liam and Matty have been training well,” he added.

“It’s very competitive now and I want to see everyone champing at the bit because if we are training with really high standards then there’s more chance of us taking them into a Saturday, when it matters.”

This weekend sees Harrogate go in search of their first League Two victory in six matches.

The Sulphurites head into Saturday’s fixture having taken just two points from the last 15 on offer as a result of narrow defeats on the road at Doncaster, MK Dons and Bradford, and a couple of home draws against Colchester and Crewe.

That winless run has seen Weaver’s team miss out on the opportunity to do exactly what Swindon have done in recent weeks and put some serious distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

While 21st-placed Town have been serving up some decent performances of late but finding ways to lose, Ian Holloway’s team has been busy scoring goals and winning games.

Now comfortable in mid-table following a poor start to the campaign, the Robins are unbeaten in six league matches and had won four on the spin prior to Saturday’s 3-3 draw with promotion-chasing Port Vale.

The week before that, they smashed five past basement boys Carlisle, and have scored 15 times in their last five games. By contrast, Town have found the back of the net on just two occasions in their previous five outings.

The teams played out a four goalless draw when they met at the County Ground earlier this term, with last season’s corresponding fixture in North Yorkshire ending 1-1 thanks to Jack Muldoon’s 65th-minute edge-of-the-box equaliser.

In the two previous encounters at Wetherby Road, Harrogate won 3-0 on the opening day of 2022/23, but were thrashed 4-1 back in 2021/22.