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

The visitors have been relegated to the National League for the 2023-24 campaign, but Harrogate have secured another season in the fourth tier of English football.

Match preview

Harrogate were promoted from the National League at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, and they have finished 17th and 19th in their two campaigns in the fourth tier.

At least one more season at this level of football is guaranteed, with a total of 51 points from 45 matches proving to be enough to keep them in the division.

Simon Weaver's side are currently 19th in the table, but they could finish 17th depending on what happens on Monday, and the hosts will undoubtedly be determined to end their season on a positive note.

The North Yorkshire outfit will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 victory over Mansfield Town last weekend, and they have actually now been victorious in three of their last four league games during a strong run.

Harrogate have found it difficult at home this season, only picking up 27 points from 22 matches, but Rochdale, unsurprisingly, have one of the poorer away records, claiming just 17 points on their travels.

Rochdale saw their 102-year stay in the Football League come to an end when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Stockport County on April 22.

The Dale were a League One club as recently as 2021, but they finished 18th in League Two last season and have now dropped out of the Football League.

Jimmy McNulty's side will actually enter this match off the back of a positive result, having recorded a 4-1 victory over Sutton United on home soil last weekend.

Rochdale will now be looking for their 10th league win of the season, but they will finish bottom of the table regardless of what happens on Monday, with the team five points behind 23rd-placed Hartlepool United.

The Dale have not been close to securing survival, sitting nine points behind Crawley Town in 22nd, and it will be fascinating to see how the team perform in the National League next term.

Harrogate Town League Two form:

D

D

W

L

W

W

Rochdale League Two form:

W

D

L

D

L

W

Team News

Harrogate could jump a couple of places in the table with a win here, and they are in good form, so it would not be a surprise to see head coach Weaver name close to the same XI from the success at Mansfield.

George Thomson will miss out with the injury that forced him off in the early stages of the team's last match, though, so there is likely to be a start for Matty Daly.

Luke Armstrong has had a brilliant campaign, scoring 16 times in League Two, and the 26-year-old will again lead the line for Harrogate on Monday afternoon.

As for Rochdale, the players that impressed against Sutton are likely to be rewarded with more action here.

Devante Rodney hit a brace last time out to make it 11 league goals for the season, and he will again feature in the final third of the field, most likely alongside Ian Henderson.

However, there could be a change in a wide area, with Abraham Odoh bidding to be included in the first XI for the team's final game of the campaign.

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:

Oxley; Sims, Eastman, Mattock, Foulds; Falkingham, Sutton; Daly, Olaigbe, Folarin; Armstrong

Rochdale possible starting lineup:

O'Donnell; Keohane, Graham, Ebanks-Landell, Dodgson; Odoh, Brierley, Kelly, Bughail-Mellor; Rodney, Henderson

We say: Harrogate Town 2-2 Rochdale

There is no real pressure on either side heading into this match, which could create an entertaining contest. Rochdale were excellent against Sutton last time out and certainly have enough quality to secure a share of the spoils on Monday afternoon.

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