Harrogate v County: Match Thread (14/10/2023)

So how best to describe Harrogate Town? The football club that is rather than the Spa Town itself, of course, erm well yes

How about Enigmatic? Their overall record looks pretty mediocre - P 12 W 5 D 1 L 6 F 11 A 13, but look a little deeper and their H form is pretty poor: W 2 L 3 F 5 A 5 - only Forest Green have a poorer H record in L2, they of course have a 100% L record at H. Harrogate's A form is however much better - W 3 D1 L 3, which is bettered only by AFC Wombles with W 4 D 3. Meanwhile their proven goal-scoring machine Luke Armstrong (2021/2022 14 Goals in 50 apps; 2022/2023 16 Goals in 51 apps) has only 1 goal this term in 10 apps: maybe there is some sort of hangover from his failed transfer to Wrecktum, but it's all rather puzzling.

Their Ws were Donny (a) 0-1, Morecambe (h) 2-0, Salford City (h) 3-2, MKD (a) 0-1 (an OG) and Newport County (a) 1-2. The D was Bratfut (a) 1-1. The Ls were Forest Green (h) 0-1, Tranmere (a) 3-0, Accy Stanley (a) 2-1, Barrow (h) 0-1, Gillingham (a) 1-0, AFC Wombles 0-1. That's all fairly efficient but also pretty modest. Most of their opponents have been from the middle or lower end of the table and their only top 10 opponent (Gillingham) won 1-0 (as they do).

They were active in the transfer window - signing Ex-Motherwell MF Dean Cornelius (46 apps) and Ex-Woking Winger James Daly (37 apps) both on two-year deals in June, then adding Ex-Rochdale MF Abraham Odoh (4 goals in 91 apps) also for two years in July. In September they added Middlesborough's young Forward Jeremy Sivi on loan to January and re-signed Ex-Stevenage Forward Josh March (previously scored 5 goals in 14 apps when on loan from Forest Green in 2020/2021). Obviously the big story here is the one that (didn't) get away - when Armstrong's agreed deal fell at the last hurdle.

Top scorer this season is MF George Thomson with 3. A further 7 players, including Luke Armstrong, have scored 1 goal apiece. Armstrong's lone goal was a Penalty v Morecambe, so his drought is puzzling. He seems still to be turning out for them - maybe they are just being cautious and wanting him to stay fit so that the move can be resurrected in January - dunno....

As so often with County the first goal will be crucial as Harrogate look capable of scoring 1 or maybe 2 and closing up shop but not much more. Anyway, as ever, fingers crossed this should be winnable.

Oooops, I forgot to add: Elsewhere in L2:

1st Place Notts County v 5th Place Mansfield
4th Place AFC Wombles v 14th Place Bratfut
6th Place Crewe v 22nd Place Tranmere
17th Place Walsall v 3rd Place Gillingham
7th Place Wrecktum v 13th Place Salford City

I sense a couple of favourable results out of that lot.

Crackin' result, and such a shame Harrogate couldn't release more tickets - they obviously don't need the money. Great to be top of the pile - let's hope we can stay there.