Joe Mattock's strong start to Harrogate Town career proves Rotherham United supporters right

Since the Sulphurites recorded a fine 2-0 victory at Gillingham on August 16, their record reads: played six, won none, lost five, drawn one. They have scored just one goal during that time and that was a penalty.

Needless to say following nine hours of football without them finding the net from open-play, Simon Weaver’s team haven’t looked great going forwards, though there have been more positive signs at the opposite end of the field.

Having finished last season with the joint-second-worst defensive record in League Two, serious improvement was required. There is, of course, still scope for them to tighten up, but overall, Town have looked less vulnerable and four clean-sheets in 11 matches isn’t too shabby an effort.

Their stand-out performer at the back thus far has been experienced centre-half Joe Mattock, a summer arrival from Championship Rotherham United.

The general consensus from Millers fans when it was confirmed that the former England Under-21 defender had signed for Harrogate was that the Sulphurites had a serious player on their hands – if they could keep him fit.

Mattock, 32, helped Rotherham to promotion out of League One three times in the space of four years, however a tough time with injuries restricted the number of games he was able to play between December 2020 and his eventual release at the end of last season.

But, the ex-Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday man has had no fitness issues since arriving at Wetherby Road, starting all nine of Town’s League Two fixtures and proving right all of those who predicted that he would be a big hit when available for selection.

Well thought of by his old Millers boss Paul Warne, Mattock has already made an impression on his new gaffer, particularly during recent clashes with Sutton United, Salford City and Stockport County.

"Personally, I think that Joe Mattock has been our stand-out performer over the last month,” Weaver told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"We began the season playing three at the back and Joe played a crucial role in a Rotherham team that had all those promotions out of League One on the left of a three. So, we knew that position would suit him, but since we’ve switched to a back-four, I really think he has come into his own.

"He's been dominant in the air. He is no giant, but he's got a great spring, excellent technique and really good timing. He is just such a naturally gifted footballer.

"And, he backs himself, and that can quite often be the difference between players who nail it and those who don't quite manage to.

"We needed more seniority at the back and Joe brings a lot of know-how and real experience. We are very happy that he is ours."

Having previously lined up alongside Miles Welch-Hayes, Warren Burrell and Kyle Ferguson in the centre of Town’s defence, the second half of Saturday’s goalless draw at Stockport saw Mattock paired with Rory McArdle.

And the 35-year-old former Bradford City defender feels that the partnership between the two is one that could “work” for the Sulphurites going forward.

“I think it could work fine,” McArdle said. “You look at Joe’s record, he’s played at a really good level and the consistency he has produced since the start of the season, he has probably been one of our most consistent performers.

“It helps that we get on well off the pitch. Throughout my career I’ve always thought that whether you’re playing left side or right side or whoever is playing alongside you, it’s important that you have a good relationship because you’ll need each other at some point on the pitch.

“You look at how well he’s done on Saturday, he made it a lot easier for me. He talks, he keeps things moving forwards and helped me just slot in for that first appearance of the season.”

Town chief Weaver is also of the opinion that pairing Mattock with McArdle is a more-than-viable option, and given how impressed he was by the latter’s comeback performance at Stockport, it appears that those two lining up alongside each other from the start may happen sooner rather than later.

"I think that it's a partnership which could work really well for us, 100 percent," Harrogate’s long-serving manager said.

"It's great to have Rory back, I think we have been missing him. He did fantastic with Joe Mattock, who once again was magnificent.

"If you think back to last season when we got off to a flyer and only lost one of the first 13, after Rory got injured and had to come out of the team, we suffered a slip in terms of our form.

"I think him not being there was a big part of that. He's a pivotal part of our back-line."