Harrogate Town pull six points clear of League Two's relegation zone, but 'still have work to do'

Harrogate Town were held to a goalless draw by Gillingham on Saturday, but that result saw the Sulphurites pull six points clear of the League Two relegation zone. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

Despite the fact that they have won just one of their previous 13 matches, the inability of the teams beneath the 21st-placed Sulphurites to pick up victories of their own means that a run of five draws in six has enabled the men from Wetherby Road to put a bit of daylight between themselves and the relegation places.

But, with second-from-bottom Crawley holding two games in hand and 22nd-placed Hartlepool only one win away from pulling level with them, the Harrogate chief insists that his players need to be “relentless” in their efforts to keep their heads above water.

"Probably most managers in that bottom third of the league feel that they are two wins away from a real feel-good factor – and I am no different,” Weaver said.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver watches on from the sidelines during Saturday's goalless draw with Gillingham.

"But, through some good performances and some valuable points that we have earned in recent weeks, we are starting to stretch that gap between us and the bottom two.

"It's not that I am totally satisfied because I want to be 12 points away. But we’ve just got to edge our way to safety. There’s going to be bumps and bruises and little twists in every half that we play, but we have just got to hold our nerve and be strong-willed.

"We’ve got to be stubborn in some ways, take the flak when it comes our way and just be relentless in pursuit of getting better and of survival.

“There’s still a lot of hard work to do. Everyone is level-headed enough to know that it’s not cracked yet by any stretch and there are some hard games to come.”

Next up for Town is a trip to Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday evening before they make the long trip south to tackle fellow strugglers Crawley in what will be a crunch clash.

The Sulphurites currently have 32 points to their name from 34 games, with Hartlepool on 29 points from 35 matches. Crawley have 26 points from 32 played, while basement boys Rochdale’s current tally is 25 from 25.

But, while things are tight right at the bottom of the division, there is little between the sides directly above Town with 20th-placed Gillingham just two points better off and 19th-placed Colchester only a single point ahead of them.