Huddersfield Town prospect Matty Daly's emergence providing struggling Harrogate Town with a ray of light

The on-loan Huddersfield Town midfielder’s second-half equaliser at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday means that he now has netted in each of the last three games, his predatory instincts in and around the penalty area taking his tally to the season for five goals and making him the Sulphurites’ top-scorer.

Daly began the season with a bang, rifling in a screamer on the opening day, then netted away at Gillingham, but had found himself in and out of Simon Weaver’s starting line-up prior to being deployed in a front two for Town’s 2-1 EFL Trophy success over Morecambe last month.

Given licence to drop off into the number 10 role, the 21-year-old delivered arguably his most complete performance of the season up until that point and has flourished in the matches that have followed.

He became the first player to breach Tranmere Rovers' miserly back-line in more than eight hours of league football when he opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw at Wetherby Road, then went on to net a consolation strike during last week’s 3-1 loss at Walsall before bagging against the Dons on Saturday.

More effective now that he has greater freedom to roam and drop into pockets of space between the lines, his involvement in matches has certainly increased - and as a result Town are looking rather more threatening as an attacking force.

"I thought that Matty on the ball really composed matters, he looked a class act," Weaver said, speaking after Saturday's loss at Wimbledon.

"The narrow 4-4-2 has been working better for us, but Matty makes it look like a 4-2-3-1 with the way he drops off. He gives us that extra man in midfield and also a straight line to the centre forward. He naturally drops off his marker, he's someone who looks good on the half-turn.

"He's really gifted. I just think he oozes class and we're playing football to suit him. He was getting frustrated on the pitch sometimes [earlier in the season] and I was saying to him don't get too down, because it only takes him one moment to turn on a six-pence and find a pass.

"His weight of pass is a joy to watch sometimes, and his vision is. He can penetrate with his passes. He is definitely emerging, which is great, and there is plenty more to come from Matty."

Daly and his Town team-mates took on Wimbledon without seven players who were missing due to injury, however some better news has come out of the Sulphurites’ treatment room this week.

Weaver revealed that Huddersfield loanee Josh Austerfield (ankle) was back doing some light running late last week, while fellow midfielder George Thomson and defender Joe Mattock (both hamstring) are also now back on the grass and ‘progressing well’, according to a club statement.

Town have also confirmed that centre-half Will Smith is also ‘making great progress after a long period on the side-lines with an ACL injury and is right on schedule to return early in the new year.’Meanwhile, striker Dior Angus is said to be ‘progressing well after his ankle surgery and will return in the next eight weeks.’

There was less clarity regarding the situation with midfielder Stephen Dooley (foot) and winger Max Wright (ankle) who are both awaiting consultant appointments which will provide ‘more information on their progression and return date.’

This Saturday, Harrogate travel to Yorkshire rivals Bradford City in the first round of the FA Cup, 12.30pm kick-off.