Harrogate Town carry strong National League form into Saturday's match away to Forest Green. The fixture at The New Lawn kicks off at 12:30 on October 31, the 16th round of the regular season.
Simon Weaver's side are second in the table with 31 points from 14 games, having scored 32 goals. They are ten points behind leaders Boreham Wood but have won four of their last five matches. Their most recent result was a 3-1 home victory over Sutton United last Saturday, with goals from B. Hobson, J. Hmami and G. Thomson. The team's defensive record is also strong, having conceded only 18 goals this season for a goal difference of plus 14.
Recent form
That win continued an impressive sequence. It was preceded by a 3-1 win over Bury, a 1-1 draw with the same opponent, a 1-0 victory at Woking and a 3-0 triumph against AFC Hornchurch. This run of four wins and a draw has stays in the automatic promotion places. Their recent form over the last five games is four wins and a draw, and they are currently on a two-game winning run following the victories over Sutton United and Bury.
Team news
The starting lineup from the Sutton game is likely to provide the core for the trip to Gloucestershire. It featured L. Hutchinson in goal, with a defensive line of S. Dreyer, A. Baptiste, L. Cass and W. McGowan. The midfield included L. Payne, E. Bristow, M. Craig and B. Dolaghan, supporting attackers B. Hobson and J. Hmami. Both Hobson and Hmami were on the scoresheet in that match, with Hobson opening the scoring in the 30th minute and Hmami adding a second just two minutes later.
Forest Green will provide a stern test at their home ground. The immediate focus for Harrogate after this match is a trip to face 12th-placed Carlisle on Wednesday. That game, scheduled for Wednesday 28 October, offers another chance to close the gap at the top of the National League.
