Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s EFL Trophy clash between Harrogate Town and Blackpool, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
League Two strugglers Harrogate Town will be hoping to cause an upset on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy when they welcome League One side Blackpool to EnviroVent Stadium.
Harrogate are fourth in their four-team group with two points after two games in the EFL Trophy and lost 1-0 against Crewe Alexandra on October 8 in their most recent match in the competition, while the visitors are second with four points and drew 0-0 with Liverpool U21s on November 6 but lost on penalties.
Match preview
After Calum Agius scored Crewe Alexandra’s only goal of the game in the 30th minute, Tuesday’s hosts struggled to truly threaten despite a stronger showing in the second half.
Harrogate are currently fifth last in League Two with 15 points from 15 games, and are just four points from 23rd-placed Carlisle United, who occupy the first of two automatic relegation spots.
In their last match, the Sulphurites lost 2-1 against last-placed Morecambe, conceding a 96th-minute winner after having equalised in the 86th minute.
Manager Simon Weaver has been in charge since 2009 has been able to take the club from the sixth tier of English football to League Two, but he will be concerned that his team have lost three of their last four games and are at real risk of relegation.
Weaver’s side have been inconsistent at home considering they have been defeated three times and been victorious on three occasions in their last six matches at EnviroVent Stadium.
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As for their opponents, their match against Liverpool U21s was fairly even, with Blackpool producing two big chances and the Reds just one.
The Seasiders have struggled in League One this season and are 18th in the table with 16 points after 14 matchweeks and are only four points from 21st-placed Crawley Town, who occupy the first of four relegation spots.
The visitors were beaten 3-0 by Leyton Orient in their last outing, though Blackpool will be disappointed that they failed to score given they created four big chances.
Boss Steve Bruce was appointed in early September following the sacking of Neil Critchley on August 21 but his first game in charge came against Exter on September 14.
Bruce oversaw a period of five victories from his first five matches as manager, but the team have since lost four, drawn three and won just one.
Blackpool have also succumbed to defeat in three of their four most recent games on the road, though they did win four of their prior five away matches.
Harrogate Town EFL Trophy form:
Harrogate Town form (all competitions):
Blackpool EFL Trophy form:
Blackpool form (all competitions):
Team News
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Weaver could field a similar XI to the side that beat Wrexham 1-0 in the FA Cup on November 3, so expect goalkeeper James Belshaw to appear.
Centre-backs Anthony O’Connor and Jasper Moon may feature behind a midfield double pivot of Dean Cornelius and Stephen Dooley.
In the forward line, Josh March is likely to start for Harrogate, and he could be partnered by Jack Muldoon.
Blackpool are likely to select many of the players that featured against Liverpool U21s, so perhaps goalkeeper Harry Tyrer will be shielded by centre-backs Matthew Pennington and Elkan Baggott.
The visitors started a midfield four against the Reds, and it is feasible that Spencer Knight, Ryan Finnigan, Theo Upton and Jake Beesley make the XI on Tuesday.
Jordan Rhodes and Ashley Fletcher will have the responsibility of leading the Seasiders’ forward line.
Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:
Belshaw; Asare, O’Connor, Moon, Foulds; Taylor, Cornelius, Dooley, Duke-McKenna; March; Muldoon
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Tyrer; Thompson, Pennington, Baggott, Ashworth; Knight, Finnigan, Upton, Beesley; Rhodes, Fletcher
We say: Harrogate Town 1-2 Blackpool
Both sides have struggled for form this season and it would not be surprising if the match on Tuesday was closely fought.
However, given Blackpool are a league above their hosts, they should come into the clash as favourites.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
