Why Rory McArdle has been a big miss for Harrogate Town in recent months

Experienced Harrogate Town defender Rory McArdle returned to group training this week, but Simon Weaver regrets that he will not be available for Saturday’s League Two trip to Sutton United.
Harrogate Town centre-half Rory McArdle injured his groin against Stevenage in September and has not played since. Picture: Harrogate Town AFCHarrogate Town centre-half Rory McArdle injured his groin against Stevenage in September and has not played since. Picture: Harrogate Town AFC
Harrogate Town centre-half Rory McArdle injured his groin against Stevenage in September and has not played since. Picture: Harrogate Town AFC

The 34-year-old centre-half has not played since September having had to undergo surgery on a groin injury and it was hoped that he might be back in action before Christmas.

There is a chance that McArdle could play some part against his former club Bradford City on Boxing Day, however that is the earliest the veteran stopper will be available for selection.

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“Rory’s trained with the lads this week and looked really good, but our next two games definitely come too soon for him,” Weaver said.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver. Picture: Matt KirkhamHarrogate Town manager Simon Weaver. Picture: Matt Kirkham
Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver. Picture: Matt Kirkham

“He has a chance for Boxing Day, but we will have to see. It’s a shame that he won’t be available for the Sutton game because we are expecting a similar test to Northampton last week.

“They’ll put balls in the box and we have to be able to defend them better than we have been doing. We haven't had Rory McArdle to handle these situations. We probably don't lose a game like this [Northampton] if he is playing.

“It’s not clever stuff is it, but it’s a big part. There’s room for an aggressive centre-half in there - or two. Without a doubt, it is holding us back at the minute.”

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Town’s defensive issues have proved costly in general this term, but particularly during recent home defeats to Forest Green Rovers and Northampton which saw them slip out of the play-off places and down to 10th position.

Speaking after their 2-1 home reverse at the hands of the Cobblers, Weaver talked at length about exactly how much McArdle has been missed.

He said: “We know where the problem is, we know where we’ve slipped up in the table because of balls into the box and not being aggressive enough, it’s as simple as that. We miss Rory. Since he has been out of the team, it’s that lack of ability aerially to go and grab the moment and make sure that we clear our lines.

“Rory being out has been a massive loss to us because too many times we have been in the ascendancy in games, creating some great chances, shifting the ball about very well and then it’s cost us dearly because there hasn’t been that strength in character to see off routine scenarios in League Two.

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“We are a big danger to ourselves. We can’t afford to give away impetuous free-kicks away because one ball into the box, we’re not defending it properly. There is still room for aggression in the game and we are showing very little of that at the moment without Rory.

“It is still finding us out, this achilles heel, which is stick it in the box. We give a free-kick away, our hearts are in our mouths, I’ll be honest, because there’s no-one aggressive in there that actually wants to grab the moment.

“Rory McArdle did, we were in the top-three [before he got injured] and it just shows that a head-it and kick-it merchant like Northampton have got, makes a big difference to your team."

Town's clash with sixth-placed Sutton kicks-off at 3pm on Saturday.