Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs. Harrogate Town - prediction, team news, lineups

The South Yorkshire side drew at Stockport County on Saturday, playing out a goalless encounter, while Harrogate did likewise in their game with Gillingham.

Match preview

Doncaster may rank 13th in the League Two standings, six places off a playoff spot, but there is still more than enough time to be in the conversation for a top-seven finish in 2022-23.

To be in that race, Rovers must arrest the recent slide down the table that has seen them fail to win in the last three games, picking up a point from the available nine.

The solitary point gained in the ongoing run without winning came at seventh-placed Stockport County on Saturday, ending a two-game losing run for Danny Schofield's men.

That stalemate stopped Stockport from going 11 points clear of the side in 13th, thus keeping the gap between both clubs at eight, with Doncaster having played a game fewer.

The South Yorkshire outfit must return to winning ways at the Eco-Power Stadium against Harrogate — after losing two of their last four on home turf — and stop the teams in the playoff positions from pulling further away in the table.

Tuesday's visitors are fighting to survive relegation from League Two but have stayed outside the bottom two due to the form of Crawley Town and Rochdale, with the former losing five games on the trot.

Even though Harrogate are not in encouraging form, a series of draws means they are just about getting by in the battle for survival, playing out five stalemates in their last six games.

The North Yorkshire side are six points clear of Crawley but have played two games more than the 23rd-placed side, putting them in a potentially precarious position even if the second-bottom club cannot buy a win at present.

Draws must turn into wins for the Sulphurites, whose last victory in the competition came against Carlisle United at the start of February.

That is the remit of long-time boss Simon Weaver, who must turn around a wretched run that has seen Harrogate win just one of their last 13 League Two fixtures.

Tuesday's game should have been held in mid-December but was postponed on safety grounds owing to freezing conditions.

Doncaster Rovers League Two form:

W

W

W

L

L

D

Harrogate Town League Two form:

D

D

D

L

D

D

Team News

Jonathan Mitchell was in outstanding form for Doncaster against Stockport, and the goalkeeper will hope for another clean sheet on Tuesday in what should be his 34th start in 2022-23.

Ben Close could return to Schofield's lineup after coming off the bench at the weekend, with Charlie Lakin making way for the 26-year-old.

George Miller is expected to lead the line for a Doncaster side expected to deploy a 3-4-2-1.

Weaver tends to rotate minimally, and an unchanged team is likely against Rovers on Tuesday.

Luke Armstrong is expected to lead the line seeking his 12th league goal of the season for the relegation-threatened side.

The away side are anticipated to continue with a 4-4-2 in South Yorkshire.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Mitchel; Olowu, Anderson, Nelson; Rowe, Biggins, Close, Brown; Molyneux, Hurst; Miller

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:

Oxley; Sims, O'Connor, Eastman, Foulds; Grant, Falkingham, Sutton, Olaigbe; Muldoon, Armstrong

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Harrogate Town

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