Harrogate look to disrupt Morecambe’s Play-Off hopes

Harrogate Town welcome Morecambe to the EnviroVent Stadium as they look for their fifth home win on the bounce against a Shrimps side in the Play-Offs.

Away defeats to Stevenage and Forest Green Rovers have punctured Harrogate’s dominance at home, but the newly-promoted side will be confident as they welcome Morecambe to North Yorkshire. Their form since January has seen them build an outside push for the Play-Offs.

The Shrimps had just seen one defeat in six games before Newport visited the Mazuma Stadium last Saturday, but a first-half red card for defender Sam Lavelle saw Morecambe fall to defeat in a dent in their Play-Off hopes. A victory against a Harrogate side pushing up the table would be a big boost for Derek Adams’ side.

Team news

Harrogate’s main absentee will be on loan forward Josh March, whose time in North Yorkshire was cut short after a knee injury against Colchester. The injury has ruled out the 23-year-old for the remainder season.

Target man Aaron Martin signed a new contract this week to keep him at the club until 2023, but it’s Mark Beck who has been bringing the physical presence up front for Town of late. Beck has two goals since working his way back into the side in February.

Joshua McPake has caught the eye from out wide after joining on loan from Rangers in January and will pose a threat for Harrogate, while top scorer Jack Muldoon will be looking to get back on the score sheet after managing just a single goal in his last 11 appearances, albeit some coming briefly from the bench.

Morecambe may struggle to fill central defensive positions with Lavelle and Yann Songo’o both suspended, while Nathaniel Knight-Percival is touch and go with an ankle injury. Harry Davis is the only fully fit natural centre back with Alex Denny, Kelvin Mellor and Alex Kenyon all potential deputies should Knight-Percival not recover in time.

Jordan Slew and Brad Lyons are the other main absentees, Slew having fractured his ankle to keep him out for the season and Lyons still recovering from a knee injury. The Shrimps’ injury struggles could see Ben Pringle – who has barely featured of late – play a role at the weekend.

The attack is likely to still centre around a front three of Cole Stockton, Carlos Mendes-Gomes and John O’Sullivan, with Morecambe’s attacking output this season having been one of the best in League Two.

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver rues missed chances last time out against Shrimps:

“It was at a time where we did lack a bit of quality in the final third to prize teams open,” said Weaver.

“We’ll be determined on Saturday and we know what we have to do.

“It pretty much is a six-pointer knowing a win can claw it back to five points. It would blow it wide open if we can get a win and then add to it after.

“We’ll just be looking to take the game to Morecambe who are a very good side and have excelled this season.”

Morecambe boss Derek Adams pays credit to Harrogate:

“Harrogate have done really well this year,” said Adams.

“They’ve come up from the National League and put themselves in a very good position in the league table.

“They’ll be happy with the progress they have made and they have a couple of exciting players.

“Their results have picked up lately which has lifted them into the middle of the table joining that pack of teams pushing to make it into the play-off positions.”

Head-to-head

Despite having both been fixtures in non-league football for may decades, Morecambe and Harrogate have little history between each other. Their meeting earlier this season was settled by an Aaron Wildig header at the Mazuma stadium.

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