MATCH PREVIEW
The play-off fight for the EFL League Two sides is going down to the wire, with a huge fixture as Harrogate Town take on Newport County at the EnviroVent Stadium later on tonight.
Both clubs sit in mid table and are currently separated by just two points, despite being five places apart from each other.
The hosts are looking to turn their form around from their 2-0 defeat against Walsall last weekend.
Guyana international, Liam Gordon opened the scoring two minutes after the restart at half time to put the away side in front, before the substitute, Mo Faal sealed the three points for The Saddlers.
After going unbeaten in six consecutive games, Harrogate have only picked up one point in their last three, which includes the 9-2 thumping at top of the league Mansfield.
With 13 crucial games to go, The Sulphurites are currently 11th in League Two with 48 points, level on points with Morecambe and Walsall who have the better goal difference and three points from Gillingham who claim the last play-off spot going into this Tuesday night.
Newport County have previous play-off experience to forget about, so they’ll be desting to finally earn promotion after years of Wembley nightmares.
The Exiles sit in 16th with 46 points to their name, five points off a play-off spot.
Graham Coughlan’s side, like Harrogate, come into tonight’s game after a loss last Saturday.
The Welsh side travelled to the high flyers MK Dons in the hope of jumping up the table.
Nothing went to plan on the day as the hosts ended up going 3-0 up inside 29 minutes of the first half with goals from Dan Kemp, Jack Payne and Alex Gilbey, scoring against his old club.
A massive blow took place in the first half as defender Shane McLoughlin came off injured and is a doubt for tonight’s game.
TEAM NEWS
Harrogate Town will go without defenders, Toby Sims and Rob McDonald as they’re both sidelined for a long period of time.
Goalkeeper Mark Oxley is set to make his return after a four-month injury.
For the away side, youngster Josh Seberry has been out since October and isn’t likely to return anytime soon.
The duo partnership of Declan Drysdale and Ryan Delaney are both out for the season with Delaney suffering a muscle problem in the home tie against Notts County.
Irishman Shane McLoughlin is a big doubt and a huge loss for The Exiles if he’s set to be sidelined for longer after he was forced to limp off at Stadium MK.
Harrogate Town possible starting XI: Belshaw, Abu, O’Connor, Gibson, Foulds, Cornelius, Dooley, Daly, Thomson, Odoh, Muldoon
Newport County possible starting XI: Townsend, Payne, Clarke, Jameson, Baker, Lewis, Bennett, Morris, Wildig, Palmer-Houlden, Evans
FANS THOUGHTS
Lifelong Harrogate fan, Callum Fowler was asked if his side could turn the result around tonight after picking up one point out of a possible nine.
“I reckon we can, we made plenty of chances against Crewe and Walsall but just didn’t finish them, losing Kayne Ramsay has hurt us both in defence and attack but if we can finish the chances we create then I don’t see why we can’t win.”
Tonight’s score prediction and end of season finish?
“I’d probably go 1-1 tonight and that we’ll finish around 10th if we can get results back on track.”
