Harrogate Town AFC

Watch the Gaffer's pre-match press conference ahead our final home fixture of the campaign, against Cambridge United…


 
The Gaffer on facing Cambridge who are on the verge of automatic promotion…

It should be a tough encounter, Cambridge are on the verge of promotion, a really good team, a strong outfit and can play different systems. All along they've had the right recipe and have a good mixture of physicality but also got some really talented players in there as well.

On whether Cambridge have been one of the toughest teams to play this season…

Certainly. I think they're probably the best or one of the two best teams we've come up against. They knew when to go through the gears.

We went a goal up and were playing very well but they matched the system and did better at it than we did even though they probably weren't accustomed to it.  They dominated quite long spells, especially in the second half and it became increasingly difficult.

On trying to maintain focus for Friday and not on the FA Trophy Final on Monday…

It can come back to bite you if you don't respect each game and challenges that the opposition bring to the table. With Cambridge, we can't just be not focused on them, they're a very strong outfit and we need to come out strong tomorrow but it's an opportunity for several players to come into the team and really state their case to show what they're about

We're all looking forward to Monday, we can't say it's not been in our minds at all. It's been relentless with the fixtures throughout the season with 2-3 games a week but we've got to use the old cliché of ‘take every game as it comes'. The next game is a big challenge.

On the team being rotated for Friday's fixture…

I think every player wants an opportunity. It's very hard from our position to keep everyone feeling as valued as the ones who start most games.

We've seen the shining example of how to come in and be ready from Jon Stead. The oldest player in our squad but he's come back and been continually match fit.

There are these moments in everyone's careers where you've got to grab an opportunity and although it doesn't have to be a flawless performance straight away, there has to be characteristics on show that we want, in terms of energy, hunger, appetite got get on the ball and to work hard off it.

On using momentum from last week's performance against Carlisle…

We tried to reaffirm what we liked about the Carlisle performance to the group by showing them the video clips on Tuesday morning and we could reflect on a really good performance. Of course we would have liked to have taken three points but overall, I think it was a performance we could be proud of.

The organisation was there, we were solid throughout the game and Carlisle only had one opportunity which resulted in an own goal from a wide free-kick. We can count ourselves unlucky on the day but the more times we perform and carry out individual duties like we did, our chances of winning games more consistently, I'm sure will happen.  

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