Three games remain in the league. Three vital fixtures to secure as high of a finish in the play-offs as possible, which will give us the best scenario in the draw and the chance of hosting the play-off final.
Saturday’s defeat was a disappointment given the abundance of chances the Shaymen generated in front of AFC Fylde’s goal and will be looking to do the same again at Harrogate on Monday, only with more clinical results.
We’ve faced our next opponents twice this season, most previously in the FA Cup. It shouldn’t take too much to re-jog the memories of that 2-0 encounter.
Jordan Sinnott got the ball rolling on seventy minutes when his ‘shot cross’ from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection off Paul Thirlwell that left the keeper stranded.
Jake Hibbs lit up Wetherby Road (and social media) in injury time with his incredible strike from the half-way line to secure our place in the FA Cup First Round.
That fixture was the Shaymen’s revenge on Harrogate after they secured a 1-0 victory at the MBI Shay back in August 2016.
It marked a disappointing end to the opening month of the campaign with consecutive defeats against AFC Fylde and Harrogate – let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Harrogate came with a very well drilled and organised strategy and was implemented perfectly- Tom Denton (league’s top scorer at the time) was heavily isolated from the start.
It wasn’t all park the bus though as the visitors produced a moment of quality to break the deadlock on the hour mark. Jack Emmett carved his way down the right flank before unleashing a thunderous shot towards goal, clipping the underside of the crossbar before finding the net.
This was only the 2nd defeat in seven previous encounters between the two sides, both of which coming at home. March 2013 saw Harrogate put two past Matt Glennon before the 12-minute mark. Current Chesterfield striker Danny Gardner pulled one back almost instantly yet the Shaymen couldn’t rally to secure a point.
The Shaymen need all your support on Monday. The fans have been excellent on the road in recent weeks, let’s keep it up.
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