Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Match Previews

Tamworth Preview

22 August 2017

Harrogate Town welcome Tamworth to The CNG Stadium on Saturday afternoon, looking for a first win over The Lambs since 2007.

Last weekend's 5-4 victory at Gainsborough means Town remain the division's top scorers with 17 goals in their opening five fixtures, though Saturday's opponents have also looked good in front of goal; putting four past Curzon Ashton in their last outing.

Further wins against Boston and Leamington see Andy Morrell's side sit eighth in the fledgling National League North standings, with losses to Blyth Spartans and Bradford Park Avenue proving early setbacks to The Lambs' ambitions.

Saturday's opponents were relegated from the National League in 2013/14, and have not finished lower than ninth since returning to the sixth tier of the English football pyramid.

Last season's meetings were labelled ‘Battle of the 3G pitches', and it was Tamworth who came out on top on both occasions after a 3-2 win at The Lamb Ground followed a 4-3 success at The CNG Stadium.

Warren Burrell was on the score-sheet in both fixtures, as was now Stevenage striker Dan Newton, whose four goals across the two games was the difference between Town picking up six points and zero.

With Town scoring four in both home games so far, all signs point to goals on Saturday afternoon, with Reece Styche's season tally of three putting him at the top of the visitors' scoring charts.

Despite three successive wins against Town, The Lambs' away form will be a concern to Morrell as his side have only won two of their previous 13 fixtures on the road; at Leamington and Stalybridge.

Town go into the game unbeaten in seven league ties, and will have Simon Ainge available after the striker was withdrawn at Gainsborough with a head injury, while James Belshaw looks set to feature against his former club.

Manager Simon Weaver said: “Tamworth will be another tough test for us, they have a good group of players and a top manager.

“It certainly should be a good footballing game and we expect Tamworth to pass the ball well, but we have to make sure we keep compact when we don't have the ball and deny them space to play.”

Advertisement block

iFollow Next Match Tickets Account