Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver is hoping for a double fitness boost ahead of Tuesday's National League trip to Hartlepool. The Sulphurites travel to Victoria Park sitting fourth in the table with 19 points from 10 games, fresh from a 4-1 home win over Eastleigh.
Weaver confirmed that right-back Lewis Payne, who has missed the last six matches with a quad issue, has returned to training. Striker Shawn McCoulsky, absent for the last two games with an ankle problem, is also being assessed. "Lewis Payne has been back training with the lads, which is great," Weaver said. "It’s good to have him back." On McCoulsky, he added, "With Shawn, Tuesday will depend on whether he is pain-free and thinks he can get through it."
Experienced defender Tom Lees will definitely miss out after suffering a hamstring setback in his first full training session back from a calf injury. Harrogate's recent form shows three wins and two defeats from their last five, a sequence you can review on our fixtures page. They are winless in their last four visits to Hartlepool, a run stretching back to 2020, but face a Pools side that is 21st and lost 4-1 at Scunthorpe last time out. The match kicks off at 7.45pm on Tuesday, with Weaver's final selection pending further fitness checks on Payne and McCoulsky.
