Harrogate Town's Miles Welch-Hayes giving it his all in bid to reclaim starting role

The 25-year-old defender started 10 of the Sulphurites’ first 11 games of the season having joined the club on a free transfer this summer, but has not featured in League Two since being substituted at half-time during last month’s goalless draw at Stockport County.

He has however played from the start in both of Town’s recent EFL Trophy ties and capped a solid display against the League One Shrimps on Tuesday night with a 96th-minute winner.

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver mentioned Welch-Hayes as being one of the players who had impressed during that 2-1 success, and the former Colchester United man insists that he is giving it his all to try and force his way back into the first XI.

"The aim is definitely to try and stay in the team now,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“Obviously I've not been playing the last couple of games and I wasn't even in the squad [against Hartlepool or Colchester] which is obviously really disappointing on a personal level.

“So, all I can do when I get an opportunity is try and take that opportunity.

"Any opportunity, you've got to take it, no matter what game it is. It's a long season, but every game, you've got to give your all, and I always do that, even if it's a cup game like Tuesday, I always work my hardest, try my best and try to impress.

“I’ve just got to keep training hard and see where it takes me.”

Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Morecambe came just three days after Town ended a sequence of 10 matches without a win by beating Hartlepool by the same score-line.

With back-to-back successes now under their belts for the first time this term, Welch-Hayes is backing the Sulphurites to continue building positive momentum.

“Confidence is 100 percent starting to grow,” he added, speaking ahead of this weekend’s League Two clash with Tranmere Rovers.

"I thought the team did really well on Tuesday, it was a professional performance and everyone was focused. Conceding really early, it's easy for heads to go down, but we showed our character.

"It’s good when you get back-to-back wins. It builds momentum and a good vibe.

"It's good for the team to get a bit of momentum to go into Saturday with to hopefully get a win then as well."

Welch-Hayes began the season with an assist for Alex Pattison in the 3-0 opening-day success over Swindon, but Tuesday’s Trophy triumph over Morecambe saw him register his first goal for Town.

Reflecting on his match-winning 96th-minute finish from Lewis Richards’ inviting right-wing corner, he added: "It was good to get off the mark for the season because I get in the box quite a lot for corners and set-pieces.

"It felt nice to finally get one and it was a good win for the team.”

Saturday’s clash between 20th-placed Town and Tranmere, who currently sit ninth in the table, gets underway at the EnviroVent Stadium at 3pm.