Bromley vs Harrogate Town preview

In many ways, Harrogate Town represents why the ‘three-up, three-down’ debate between League Two and the National League will never go away.

This is the fifth season Harrogate have competed in League Two, and while they haven't ripped up any trees, they haven't looked like going down either.

That said, ahead of Saturday’s match with Bromley, they find themselves in 20^th position, just seven points above the relegation zone.

Sulphurites’ manager Simon Weaver has navigated these choppy waters before, so few would bet against Harrogate being in League Two next season, but they’re looking over their shoulder nonetheless.

Five points from their last six games suggests a bad run of form, but the defeats have only been by a single goal. And Harrogate turned the form guide on its head in their last game, beating a resurgent Swindon Town 1-0 at home to end a great run for the Robins.

One of the reasons Harrogate find themselves in their current predicament is a lack of goals. They average 0.8 goals per game, third-lowest in League Two, while also having the second-fewest shots on target per game.

Only the bottom two have lost more games than Harrogate, but perversely, they almost match Bromley’s win total this season, falling just one shy. It implies that Harrogate have a killer instinct problem.

Like the rest of League Two, they attempted to strengthen their squad during the January window, welcoming seven new faces to Wetherby Road.

Ben Fox (Northampton Town), Tom Hill (Liverpool), Tom Cursons (Ilkeston Town), Olly Sanderson (Fulham), Bryant Bilongo (Bristol Rovers), Bryn Morris (Newport County) and Eko Solomon (Huddersfield Town) all arrived to bolster the squad.

Their hope is that serial loanee Olly Sanderson can add to their goals column, but that plan has yet to pay dividends.

Bromley, meanwhile, have seven points from their last three games, with strong performances away at MK Dons and at home to Fleetwood, and an excellent first-half performance away at Salford City.

I won’t mention play-offs (oops, just did), but Bromley currently sit seven points away from seventh. Andy Woodman will have his target in mind, but I think top-half is a realistic and achievable goal.

The team is on a good run right now and should be full of confidence. But, if injury rumours are to be believed, one of Bromley’s most influential players is currently unavailable, which might force a big rejigging of the side.

This scenario is one of the reasons Andy got a bigger and better squad in January. The question now is whether his new arrivals offer strength or just depth. Watch this space.

As it stands, Bromley seem wedded to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and it appears to have given them better defensive and offensive options. But will they stick with it, even if they have to put some square pegs in round holes?

The form guide says Bromley vs. Harrogate is a home banker, but Harrogate’s smash-and-grab at Swindon shows that you can’t bank on anything these days.

This League Two lark ain't easy.

Over to you. How would you set up for this one?

From Bromley with Love XI

Smith

Jenkinson Elerewe Webster Mayor

Arthurs Charles

Whitely Thompson Congreve

Cheek

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Please note all match photographs in this article are by Martin Greig - please follow him on Instagram here

All articles are edited by Peter Etherington you can link to him here

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