Walsall FC v Harrogate Town: Simon Weaver demands away-day 'grit'

The Sulphurites bounced back from their dreadful showing at fellow strugglers Newport in their previous away outing by beating Colchester United at the weekend, moving to within a point of safety in the process.

But the men from Wetherby Road remain bottom of the pile, and could still be relegated at the Bescot Stadium if they lose to the Saddlers and results elsewhere go against them.

Thus, while in all likelihood, their fate will not be decided for definite until their final-day-of-the-season showdown with Barnet, Weaver knows that his players need to dig deep to give themselves the best chance of coming away with some kind of a result this Saturday.

“It is tighter than ever down there,” the Harrogate boss said. “It is tense and we know that we have still got a job on.

“We have got to go to a difficult place this Saturday and go up against a good Walsall side that won 3-1 at Barrow last time out, and have a lot of quality in their team.

“We have to be business-like and make sure that we produce the gritty away performance that proves that we are good enough to stay in this division, as is our ambition.

"We were so disappointed by our showing at Newport after some really positive displays on the road, so this needs to be a proper away-day performance.

“And we will do that by sticking together as a team and showing great unity.”

After striker Mason Bennett limped off with yet another injury during last weekend’s dramatic late victory over Colchester at Wetherby Road, Town’s casualty list has once again grown to a significant length ahead of their trip to Walsall.

“That’s seven out now, it’s another blow,” Weaver added.

“It has just been that way this season.”

Walsall head into Saturday’s fixture 12th in the table, having already seen their play-off hopes extinguished.

But, despite effectively having very little to play for, they still managed to serve up a good performance as they recorded that aforementioned 3-1 success at Barrow last weekend.

That victory was however their first in five attempts following a sequence of two draws and two defeats, which included a 4-0 mauling by Cheltenham in their previous outing on home soil.

Harrogate’s record at the Bescot Stadium is fairly decent, with Weaver’s men having lost just the once there in five attempts – in October 2022.

They have managed two wins – 3-1 in 2021/22, and 1-0 in 2023/24 – and played out a couple of draws.

Last term, goals from Josh March and Ellis Taylor had Town on course for a 2-1 success, only for Walsall to nick a share of the spoils late on.

Saturday’s game kicks-off at 3pm.