Preview: Harrogate Town

7 May 2021

There's another huge opportunity for Cheltenham Town to make history on Saturday in the final match of the 2020/21 League Two season (kick-off: 3pm).

Harrogate Town are the visitors to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium for a match that will decide whether or not the Robins end a memorable campaign as champions for the first time as a Football League club or in second place.

Automatic promotion is already confirmed, but the team and management are keen to achieve a title win that will go down as a key milestone in the club's long history.

The match is available to watch live on iFollow. Buy a match pass online and get behind the team from home as they look to get the result needed to clinch number one spot.

Team news

There are no new injury concerns going into the game. It means just Chris Clements and Will Boyle are unavailable because of injury.

Ahead of the match Michael Duff has been speaking to the press while goalkeeper Josh Griffiths has also spoken to the media.

Opposition

Harrogate go into the game off the back of another season where they picked up silverware. On Monday they contested the delayed 2019/20 FA Trophy final behind closed doors at Wembley and defeated National League South side Concord Rangers 1-0 to win the competition.

It was a nice way to nearly end an impressive first season in the Football League for a club that was playing National League North football just three years ago.

Their long-serving manager Simon Weaver has done a great job in North Yorkshire, sticking with many of the players who have helped them rise through the divisions and they're 16th in the table heading into the weekend.

James Belshaw has been their usual go to in goal this season, but of late 26-year-old Joe Cracknell has been their man in between the sticks.

Defensively the long-serving Warren Burrell and sizeable Connor Hall are likely to feature on Saturday. Leeds born Will Smith could also fit in their backline with Birmingham City loanee Mitchell Roberts and Kevin Lokko potential options too.

Their midfield sees skipper Josh Falkingham as a reliable figure in the centre of the park. Alongside him George Thomson is another who has been part of the Harrogate set-up for a while. The likes of Brendan Kiernan and Lloyd Kerry provide options out wide.

In attack they boast a number of options which include a former Premier League striker in the shape of Jon Stead and an up and coming Rangers loanee in 19-year-old Josh McPake. Mark Beck has been on the books since 2017 and could feature.

The manager: Simon Weaver

In May 2009 Simon Weaver was appointed as boss of Harrogate - over 570 games later he's still in charge and has led them to the highest level in their history.

The 43-year-old has done so with the support of his father Irving as chairman, but in his first and only managerial position he's enjoyed plenty of success.

As a player he was a defender who turned out for Nuneaton Borough, Lincoln City, Kidderminster Harriers and Scarborough alongside a number of other clubs.

One to watch: Jack Muldoon

With 14 goals to his name it's been a good season back in the Football League for a number of years for Jack Muldoon.

He's been in good goal scoring form for the Sulphurites as he approaches the end of his third season in North Yorkshire.

Previously he's appeared in the League before for Rochdale, but otherwise the 31-year-old has mainly played on the non-league circuit for a number of clubs.

He began lower down at the likes of Sheffield, Glapwell and Stocksbridge Park Steels before making more of an impact at National League level with Lincoln City and AFC Fylde.

Match programme

Available in a 24 page print format or 48 page digitally, the match programme can be purchased from the online shop or digitally through MatchDay Digital.

Liam Sercombe is the big interview in the programme, while there are also pieces with Andy Williams, Matty Blair, Michael Duff and under-18s forward Zac Guinan.

The print edition is on sale for £2.50 from the online shop, while the digital version is accessible for £1.99 via MatchDay Digital on their website, Apple and Android apps.

Watch the match on iFollow

Enjoy the match from home by buying a match pass on iFollow to watch online.

A match pass is available at a price of £10. BBC Radio Gloucestershire provide match commentary.

Coverage

Follow events on the club's social media accounts. Check out @CTFCofficial on Twitter for match updates, team news and live images. You'll also be able to keep a track of the score on the club's Facebook page and Instagram account.

After the game visit the club website to read the match report and to watch the post-match reaction.

You'll be able to see extended highlights on iFollow, while before the game, at 2pm, watch Teamsheet LIVE on the club website and YouTube channel.

Match Reports

Report & highlights: The Town are Champions

8 May 2021

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Cheltenham Town v Harrogate Town - Extended highlights - Sat 8th May 2021

Extended highlights of Cheltenham Town v Harrogate Town, Sat 8th May 2021 in the Sky Bet League Two

Cheltenham Town have ended a memorable League Two campaign by beating Harrogate Town 4-1 to win the first Football League title in the club’s long history.

Goals from Liam Sercombe, Sam Smith, Alfie May and Callum Wright helped secure the club’s 24th win of the league campaign - the most wins the club has ever managed in a single Football League season.

With automatic promotion already confirmed, Michael Duff was keen to achieve a title win that will go down as a key milestone in the club's history books.

Cheltenham will now play League One football next season after being promoted as champions and finishing on top of the League Two table with 82 points.

Travelling to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium to play Cheltenham for the first time, Harrogate had already confirmed their League Two safety after enjoying a successful season of their own having been promoted from the National League last season.

Despite only winning two of their last 11 League Two ties, a 5-4 win over Cheltenham’s title challengers, Cambridge United had all but confirmed a mid-table finish for The Sulphurites in their first season in League Two.

With another opportunity to define the outcomes of this season's top two, Simon Weaver’s side started the brighter as Jon Stead came close to marking his 700th career appearance with a goal.

As his strike partner in Harrogate’s 4-4-2 system, Brendan Kiernan struck the ball towards the far post, Stead nearly turned the ball into the net if it weren’t for Josh Griffiths’ intervention to gather the ball at the first sight of danger.

Though, despite only conceding once in the past six home games, Cheltenham were put on the back foot within the first minute as Jack Muldoon scored his third goal in his last four. As Stead helped the ball back across Griffiths' six yard box, Muldoon was on hand to convert from close range.

No sooner had the Robins fallen behind had they carved out a golden chance of their own. Matty Blair’s through ball towards May was made all the more effective when Harrogate’s Will Smith slipped over on the greasy Jonny-Rocks pitch and so May was afforded a clean run at goal.

Harrogate goalkeeper Joe Cracknell stood strong to deny May from close range before the Cheltenham forward dragged his second effort wide of the post. Though, merely a minute later and Duff’s side were back on level terms through Sercombe’s seventh goal of the League Two campaign.

May rectified for his gilt-edged miss by finding his composure when the ball fell to his feet inside the box and picked out Sercombe on the edge of the box whose strike was too hot to handle for Cracknell on the 11th minute.

A 10 minute period of pressure would then prove too much for the visitors in their attempt to go into the break level. Blair’s pass down the line made good use of Wright’s surge down the wing and after breaking into the box, the Leicester loanee initially had no luck in forcing his fourth goal of the season.

After Wright’s first effort was well saved by Cracknell, his rebound hit the post before his third strike fell to the feet of Smith, who after readjusting his feet struck into the roof of the net to force through an advantage for the hosts after 22 minutes.

Blair’s contributions in each of Cheltenham's goals were telling and with the Robins intent on putting this one out of Harrogate’s reach before the second half, the right-back played a crucial part in a third goal too.

As Chris Hussey stood the ball up towards the far post, Blair’s back-post arrival allowed May to turn home from a few yards out as the full-back put the ball on a plate 10 minutes before the break.

While Harrogate have scored eight goals in their last four outings, Kiernan couldn’t have come closer to getting one back for Harrogate as his effort from all of 30 yards came crashing off the crossbar.

Cheltenham started the second half as they ended the first, with intensity and a desire to get the job done, and most importantly, with another goal. Wright’s second of the afternoon sealed the League Two title thanks to the midfielders emphatic strike in the 56th minute.

While Griffiths didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet on the day Cheltenham sealed their League Two title, he's proved an exceptional loan signing this season having claimed 21 clean sheets.

The Robins will kick-off their League One journey on August 7, with the 2020/21 season fixtures released June 24.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-5-2): J Griffiths (GK); S Long, B Tozer, C Raglan; M Blair, C Hussey, C Thomas, C Wright (F Azaz '83), L Sercombe; A May (G Lloyd '77), S Smith. (A WIlliams '77. Subs not used: S Flinders (GK), L Freestone, E Chapman, I Vassilev.

HARROGATE TOWN (4-4-2): J Cracknell (GK); R Fallowfield, W Smith, K Lokko (C Hall ’60), M Roberts (W Burrell ’60); G Thomson, W Hondermarck (L Kelly ’60), E Francis (J Falkingham ’60), J Muldoon; B Kiernan, J Stead (J Andrews). Subs not used: J Belshaw (GK).

REFEREE: Benjamin Speedie

ASSISTANTS: Danny Gratton, Darren Wilding. Fourth Official: David Rock