Let's talk about the Harrogate Town game

[selby]

  After our terrific hard fought win v Gillingham we head for a Thursday evening game against a side who have an even better record against us in the league having never lost to us, despite not being big spenders, always seeming to play above expectations and compete at league level, and our supporters ( including myself) thinking we should win games against them, just a 2-2 draw away at Harrogate our only point against them.
  Thursday is an odd day for a league fixture but one no doubt we will come across more times in the future as Sky pull the strings so is one big change, we are on  a little run sitting on top of the division, Harrogate's four points this season have all been won away from home, and they had a sickener when losing today to an injury time 90+2 goal at Cheltenham while we were celebrating going top by beating the then top side in the division, WHAT CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
   Well are we jinxed against them is one question, they will want to get a result at home ASAP, and we  have just had a slug fest and draining game with an early midweek game not helping our recovery.
    Hopefully we have not picked up any niggles or injuries, our enthusiasm  and team spirit must be sky high, and if you factor in our finish to last season we must be considered one of the best sides at League 2 level, and from the top down the club seem to be on the up, and our Chairman will want to win this game being from the area.
  What team we put out changes should on form be few and far between unless tactical as every player has stood up to what has been asked of them the last few weeks, our fitness levels were at a level hard to improve on the last few games, everyone working so hard at their game, and bodes well for the future, it is hard not to get carried away with things after our poor form up to the start of this calendar year, and a win Thursday will put pressure on the pack behind us who will not want a gap to open up early in the season.
  So it is all to play for, just a jinx to overcome just like Gillingham seemed to have over us for years.
  It will not be easy, although we will probably have a full house of traveling supporters at the game who I hope see our first league victory there. Harrogate themselves will be wanting to desperately pick up some points from the game, and are not an easy  side to play against and will make it difficult.
  All the usual Questions, Are you going to the game? would you make changes? can we at last get their seemingly jinx off our back? come to mind, as well as the form of our team and players? what players in the opposition do you rate? how do you see this game going?
  Please have your say Harrogate fans welcome also to do so.

[selby]

  This game has a little side show with both Chairmen being friends  for a long time being well known local to Doncaster business men, and a subject Terry mentioned at a supporters meeting with him and his ambition to at last do well against them and him to have the bragging rights.
  So a lot on this Grant more pressure than usual.

[Chris Black come back]

Fairly abysmal form this season. Played five league games and have four points only, from the sides currently 18th and 23rd. At home it is played two, lost two, scored zero (0). Barrow aside, they have played entirely a weak group of sides to date and have very little to show. It’s not easy playing them as we have demonstrated repeatedly, but this season so far, their form is bad.

[Donnywolf]

As an aside I've been to both away games and am missing this time so it will be a WIN for Rovers

[ncRover]

I think the majority of their goals conceded have been headers following set pieces. Happened again versus a poor Cheltenham side yesterday.

[adamtherover]

If we can get the win, that would be a 4 PT gap to 2nd, psychology that would be a great boost ..  mind the gap!!!  Teams would already be playing catch-up!!!

[drfchound]

I know it’s one game at a time but a win and a draw (or two wins) in the next two games and we should get a bumper attendance for the Chesterfield game.

[Plumbster]

I don’t know if they still have that little striker who always looks a world beater against us

[ncRover]

I don’t know if they still have that little striker who always looks a world beater against us

Odoh? He went to Peterborough

[mushRTID]

Loved Grants comment in yesterday’s interview.

“Iv reminded the boys Harrogate took 6 points from us last season”.

He just doesn’t miss a trick does he. So determined and switched on.

I think we’re going to thump them.

[selby]

  As well as we have played and got results apart from the blip at Newport I still feel we are still developing as a team and improvement will come as the season progresses.
  Different players have stood up in different games and have pulled us through, for instance Billy Sharp has scored good strikers goals, Molyneux has excelled in other games  and lately McGrath has excelled, great performances, but periods in most games where as a team we have been quite ordinary but always we seem to have the stand out player in the game.
  Long may it continue, but I think we will get even better over the season as confidence builds, the keeper for instance has visibly improved and is more confident and pro active in just a few games, and will get better still with experience, and McGrath unrecognisable the last few games.
  Consistency is now going to be the key, as well as staying clear of injury, and with Kelly an addition after the internationals who we coped with his absence well yesterday 2024 looks as though it can rival our record season in the 1940's in our history of league results.

[Pinter777]

Forgive me for my knowledge, is the weaver of Harrogate any relation to the weaver of the Richardson era?

[scawsby steve]

Forgive me for my knowledge, is the weaver of Harrogate any relation to the weaver of the Richardson era?

I doubt it. One's a decent guy, the other's an absolute tw*t.

[danumdon]

Forgive me for my knowledge, is the weaver of Harrogate any relation to the weaver of the Richardson era?

I doubt it. One's a decent guy, the other's an absolute tw*t.

Correct Steve, and a Donny lad to boot.

[Avsuptem]

Ever the optimist I can't help thinking we are due a day when the near misses we have seen in our games this season  all become goals. In which case we should get a big win against a side a class below ours.

[roversareback]

How many tickets were given and how many remain? Are we likely to sell out?

[Alan Southstand]

I think one guy who’s definately due a goal is Gibson. He’s been a bit unlucky in a few games, including v Gillingham, and a goal of two could boost him. The other guy who’ll be busting to score will be Joe Ironside - yes he scored a very good penalty v Udders, but he’ll want one from open play - if he’s in the team, that is.

Hopefully, there’s no injuries to worry about and, if not, keep the same side? Is Kelly going to be back? Will GM want to rotate? Who knows but just get the 3 points, lads.

[rich1471]

How many tickets were given and how many remain? Are we likely to sell out?

just over a 1000 , 150 left behind the goal you are put in the corner of the stand

[IDM]

Ever the optimist I can't help thinking we are due a day when the near misses we have seen in our games this season  all become goals. In which case we should get a big win against a side a class below ours.

We did, on day 1..

More would be very welcome though!

[roversdude]

Be great if we can show our appreciation of TB

[Barmby Rover]

A nice little win on Thursday to let GM get his frustrations out about last season. A 3-0 win away from home will be satisfying, let Rovers watch on Saturday with a smile on their faces and get them plenty of time to prepare for the (relatively) harder task of taking MK Dons away from home on the 21st.

[RoversInSpain]

It’s a really nice feeling when you win prior to all the other kick offs, say on a Friday night.
You then really enjoy watching the results come in knowing you’ve won earlier, in a total state of relaxation. Simply tune into everyone else’s stresses, laugh at certain teams’ defeats and shortcomings.
This feeling of huge security and satisfaction must be called something?

[les@donr]

We are due to give a team a trashing, could come this Thursday in North Yorks. Let’s us wait and see. Be good to see our forwards and midfield unleashed on Harrogate.

[jmt23]

Along with a Gibson goal, it would be good for a centre back to get in on the act from corners McGrath is looking good for one eventually.

[StocktonRover]

Very close to a sold out away following with just over 40 tickets remaining.

[dknward2]

39 tickets left with 8 carer tickets left dunno if we got the full allocation but considering it’s a Thursday night and on sky, that’s a fantastic effort by everyone

[colincramb]

Missing this one as I’m away, but will be (hopefully, technology willing) watching from far warmer shores.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yet another test to overcome. Tight ground and I'm sure everyone connected with Harrogate will want to see us fall flat on our face (again) and will try every trick in the book to knock us off our stride. This won't be easy and our back line will have to be just as stingy, if not moreso away from home, as we were on Saturday.

If we can get the players into that mindset that every point matters, knock out football, as it was on last seasons run then we have a good chance.

[ncRover]

On top of losing Odoh, they also lost their main centre-half Rod McDonald.

Their star performers from last season Matty Daly and George Thomson appear to be injured.

0-3 away win. Sharp and Gibson with Ironside scoring a header.

[selby]

It will not be easy, they have pulled us apart in the past, and we are still work in progress, we cannot afford to have another Newport moment as they as a team are just as capable of taking advantage of it as Newport were.
  Nothing in Football is a given and we need to be on it every game especially this one.