Harrogate Town 1-2 BWFC

Harrogate have to be favourites. They are 14 points above us in the table and have a win and two draws to date compared to our 3 straight league losses. And they're at home if that makes any difference these days.
Moreover, our team doesn't look like a team and individual performances have been poor so unless there's a miracle turnaround Evatt will have lost his first 6 games and any remaining confidence will have drained away.
Ironically, we were one of the favourites for promotion whilst Harrogate were one of the favourites to go the other way.
As mentioned elsewhere, I never imagined we'd ever play Harrogate Town but now it's here, coming into the game as underdogs seems surreal.
This game comes down to how we play so either there's a transformation or we will sink to the lowest point in our proud history.

Optimistically I'm hoping for a 1-1 draw and our first point of the season - but we'll have to improve substantially to get even that. Evatt is allegedly ringing the changes for this one so we'll see whether the players can step up - but it comes across as an act of desperation.

I see us getting beaten again and being rock bottom of the table 

How the mighty have fallen!

I wouldn't like to be beaten by a team nicknamed the Sulphurites.

boltonbonce wrote:I wouldn't like to be beaten by a team nicknamed the Sulphurites.

Cause a stink if we did.

Sulphur? We are ALL but slaves to the one with horns.

wanderlust wrote:Harrogate have to be favourites. They are 14 points above us 

You sure about that?

MartinBWFC wrote:

wanderlust wrote:Harrogate have to be favourites. They are 14 points above us 

You sure about that?

Someone needs to go to Specsavers! 

If only this match could be moved to April/May with at least a possibility of fans being able to attend. The match probably won't be any good either way but Harrogate's a nice place.

karlypants wrote:
Someone needs to go to Specsavers! 

Pedantic fuckers the lot of you!  
If you haven't managed to work it out I meant 14 places above us.
Although I know you knew what I meant you barstewards.

doffcocker wrote:If only this match could be moved to April/May with at least a possibility of fans being able to attend. The match probably won't be any good either way but Harrogate's a nice place.

Harrogate is not a nice place to lose a game of footie. I whupped 3 of my kids 7-2 in the back garden of the missus parents house in Harrogate and they've never forgiven me.
Mind you their fitness wasn't up to scratch and they weren't organised.

doffcocker wrote:If only this match could be moved to April/May with at least a possibility of fans being able to attend. The match probably won't be any good either way but Harrogate's a nice place.

Frankly I'm not sure the Co-Vid would make all that much difference to OUR crowd size now. Pretty soon I see the entire matchday attendance being one old man, his dog and maybe if we're lucky a couple of bored pigeons.

doffcocker wrote:If only this match could be moved to April/May with at least a possibility of fans being able to attend. The match probably won't be any good either way but Harrogate's a nice place.

They play in Doncaster. Shit fan.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

They play in Doncaster. Shit fan.

Nat, it's OK. Let's face it Bolton Wanderers don't play anywhere.

I'll get my coat .....

Preview: Harrogate Town vs. Bolton Wanderers

Wanderers return to Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon with a trip to Harrogate Town’s temporary home, the Keepmoat Stadium to take on Simon Weaver’s Football League newcomers.

Still winless in the opening three league fixtures, Ian Evatt’s men travel to Doncaster to take on a Harrogate Town side buoyant with confidence after their promotion and unbeaten in three Sky Bet League Two fixtures.


Pre-Match Quotes:

Ian Evatt: ‘I know a lot about Harrogate, probably more than most. Simon (Weaver) has done a fantastic job there and they are hard to play against in terms of their intensity – they are grafters and they really work hard for one another.

‘They put you under pressure and they’ll put the ball into areas that force you to defend. They’re very good from set pieces as most League Two teams are, and we have to be at the races it’s as simple as that. We have to make sure we’re better with and without the ball than we were last Saturday.’


Simon Weaver: ‘The Bolton game is a huge one for us. They’re a massive club, with history, a big fan-base and a fantastic stadium, but they haven’t had the best of starts and they’ll be desperate to put that right this weekend.

‘We can’t allow them to do that. We have to be on the front foot, making life difficult for them and all-energy with and without the ball. We’ve made a positive start to the season and we have to be relentless in trying to build on that.’


How to watch:

Wanderers supporters can watch the clash with Harrogate Town by purchasing an iFollow BWFC video match pass for just £10, meaning despite not being able to make the trip to Yorkshire, you don’t have to miss a kick.

An iFollow BWFC video match pass will ensure supporters do not miss a minute of the action, with the entire match streamed through any compatible laptop, computer, tablet or mobile device in the United Kingdom.


Team News:

Ian Evatt confirmed new signing Lloyd Isgrove will miss the weekend’s clash with Harrogate through injury. Arthur Gnahoua remains fit and available and could come into contention for a start at the Keepmoat Stadium this weekend.

Antoni Sarcevic and Shaun Miller returned to training this week and could be available for a place in the matchday squad this Saturday.

In the Town camp, Jack Muldoon missed out on last weekend’s trip to Port Vale with a minor muscle injury and he could come back into contention on Saturday.

Goalkeeper James Belshaw continues to progress in his recovery from a hand injury but he’ll most likely be unavailable at the weekend.


Bookies Odds:

Harrogate win: 11/8

Draw: 11/5

Bolton win: 19/10

Correct as of 01/10/2020 (2.15pm) on skybet.com


Form:

Wanderers head into Saturday’s fixture in search of their first victory of the season after opening the campaign with a hugely disappointing five consecutive defeats in all competitions; the latest being last weekend’s home loss to Newport County.

Town are unbeaten in their first three league fixtures. Opening their maiden Sky Bet League Two campaign with a 4-0 victory at Southend United, they drew 2-2 with Walsall at their temporary home before a goalless draw at Port Vale last weekend.

They defeated Tranmere Rovers in the 1st Round of the Carabao Cup at Prenton Park before an eventual exit at the hands of Premier League West Bromwich Albion in the 2nd Round.


Last time out:

This weekend will see a first meeting between the two clubs, with the current campaign Harrogate Town’s very first in the Football League.

Only in the National League North a couple of years ago, it has been a remarkable rise for the North Yorkshire club. The year Town were promoted to the fifth tier of English football was also the year that Wanderers stayed up in the Championship on the final day with victory against Nottingham Forest.

Polar opposites in terms of the history of the two clubs, but a founder member of the Football League and a newcomer to the Football League go head to head this weekend.


Match Officials:

Referee: Benjamin Speedie.

Assistant Referees: Andrew Dallison and Wayne Grunnill.

Fourth Official: Daniel Woodward.

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Isgrove injured already?

I am looking forward to this game.

sunlight wrote:I am looking forward to this game.

You a Harrogate fan then?

i'm wondering whether i really want to waste another tenner on ifollow, i know i the end i will though.