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

The home side will start proceedings in 20th place, while the visitors are currently in ninth.

Match preview

Harrogate have made a slow start to their third full season in the EFL, with 11 points from their opening 13 games, leaving them just two points above the relegation zone.

The Sulphurites initially started well in the very early stages, picking up seven points from their first four games, but a run of eight league games without a win has caused them to become embroiled in a battle at the wrong end of the table.

However, Simon Weaver's side recorded a vital victory in their last league outing, defeating fellow strugglers Hartlepool United 2-1 at home to ensure that they did not fall into the relegation zone.

Momentum is perhaps starting to build for the Yorkshire side, also winning at home in midweek against League One opposition in Morecambe, sealing a place in the next round of the EFL Trophy with a 2-1 victory, courtesy of a 96th-minute Miles Welch-Hayes goal.

As such, the home side will go into Saturday's game with their season starting to get back on track, and after recent performances they will know that they are good enough to cause problems for their opponents.

Tranmere will be a very difficult test however, with the Wirral side heading into the fixture on a run of five wins on the bounce in League Two, results that have caused them to shoot up the league standings.

Indeed, the Rovers were languishing in 16th place following a 2-1 defeat at home to Bradford City in September, but they are now closing in on the playoffs, just two points off seventh-placed Salford City, the team they defeated 1-0 to reignite their season.

Key to the success of Micky Mellon's side has been remarkable rearguard action, not conceding a goal in their last five matches, largely down to the defensive partnership of Dynel Simeu and Jordan Turnbull.

Having shipped just nine goals in 13 matches, the Super White Army boast the second-best defensive record in the league, behind second-placed Leyton Orient.

Their most recent league outing also proved that Saturday's visitors are starting to click down the other end too, beating Crewe Alexandra 3-0 at Prenton Park, with striker Elliott Nevitt notching two second-half goals to secure another vital three points.

Harrogate Town League Two form:

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Harrogate Town form (all competitions):

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Tranmere Rovers League Two form:

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Tranmere Rovers form (all competitions):

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Team News

Harrogate's George Thomson has recently returned from a hamstring problem and should be good enough to last the match, having played the full 90 minutes against Morecambe on Tuesday.

Midfielder Alexander Pattison has been in fine form this season, helping himself to four goals and three assists, including goals in his last two league matches, and Weaver is set to stick with the 25-year-old in the starting lineup.

Elsewhere, Jack Muldoon bagged his second goal of the season in the 2-1 win against Hartlepool, and he has featured in every league game up to this point, with the striker likely to start next to Luke Armstrong.

Simeu and Turnbull have formed a fantastic centre-back partnership at Tranmere, and given their recent displays Micky Mellon is certain to stick by the pair at the heart of his defence.

Josh Dacres-Cogley and Ethan Bristow also deserve plaudits for playing their part in the solid defensive unit from full-back, and the duo are also set to start, in a bid for a sixth league clean sheet in a row.

Elliott Nevitt has scored three goals in his last two games in all competitions, making a statement to the manager after being dropped from the starting lineup for two games, with the striker likely to keep his place next to captain Kane Hemmings in a 4-4-2 system.

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:

Jameson; Ramsay, McArdle, Mattock, Headley; Pattison, Burrell, Falkingham, Thomson; Muldoon, Armstrong

Tranmere Rovers possible starting lineup:

Doohan; Dacres-Cogley, Turnbull, Simeu, Bristow; Morris, O'Connor, Merrie, Hawkes; Hemmings, Nevitt

We say: Harrogate Town 0-1 Tranmere Rovers

Tranmere have been in fantastic form in League Two of late, and we expect them to make it six wins in a row on Saturday.

Harrogate have shown signs of improvement in recent matches, and will make it tough for the visitors, but the away side are likely to win by a narrow margin.

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