Harrogate Town face Aldershot Town in a National League match on Friday 28th August, as reported by the BBC. Manager Simon Weaver's side travel south looking to build on their impressive early-season form.
Weaver has selected a 3-4-2-1 formation for the contest at Aldershot's home ground. Mark Oxley starts in goal behind a back three of Toby Bradbury, Alex Baptiste, and Liam Cass. The midfield quartet consists of Ethan Bristow, Ben Johnson, Ben Hobson, and Lewis Payne. Captain George Thomson and Ben Dolaghan operate as attacking midfielders behind striker Shawn McCoulsky. The bench includes options like Will Burrell, Josh Hmami, and Ciaran McGuckin.
Harrogate Town currently sit 4th in the National League table with 7 points from three matches, their recent form reading DWW. They have scored 10 goals and conceded 5, giving them a healthy +5 goal difference. They trail league leaders Boreham Wood by just 3 points in the early title race. Their next fixture is a home game against Gateshead on 31st August.
How have Harrogate Town started the season?
The Sulphurites have begun the campaign strongly. They followed a 2-2 draw with Barrow with convincing away wins at Wealdstone (1-3) and Solihull Moors (5-2). Their pre-season form was also positive, including a 2-1 win over Scarborough Athletic and a 2-2 draw with Doncaster Rovers. This solid foundation has them positioned well in the promotion play-off places early on. You can track their progress on our standings page.
What is the recent history against Aldershot?
Recent meetings between these sides have favoured Harrogate Town. The last three encounters saw a 1-1 draw at Aldershot in February 2020, preceded by a 1-0 home win for Harrogate in October 2019. The most decisive result was a 4-1 victory for Weaver's men at home in December 2018. Aldershot, managed by Scott Davies, line up in a 4-3-3 formation. They currently occupy 14th place with 5 points, having scored and conceded 2 goals each.
What does the league table picture look like?
The National League promotion race is intense. The team finishing first gains automatic promotion. Positions two through seven enter the promotion play-offs, a bracket Harrogate Town currently sit comfortably within. The bottom four sides face relegation. With the season still young, every point is vital for building momentum. Fans can see the full schedule ahead on our fixtures list.
Who are the match officials?
The game will be overseen by referee Tolu Sangowawa. He will be assisted by Daniel Bonneywell and Damith Bandara, with Marcus Carmichael acting as the fourth official. Their management of the game could be important in what is often a competitive fixture.
Harrogate Town's strong squad depth, evident on our squad page, will be tested during this busy period. A positive result against Aldershot would set them up nicely for the quick turnaround against Gateshead just three days later, keeping them in touch at the top of the table.
