Harrogate Town welcomed Colchester United to The Exercise Stadium on Saturday afternoon, where full-back Jacob Slater scored in the dying moments to topple the visitors 1-0.
The Sulphurites kicked off the day rock bottom of League Two, in 24th place, three points off fellow relegation candidate Barrow AFC.
The North Yorkshire outfit now find themselves level on points with Barrow and just one point away from 21st-placed Newport County with two games remaining.
“We were halfway over the ropes in the ring after last week, but just because one kick from a couple of yards has ended up in their net, we’re back in the fight now,” said Harrogate boss Simon Weaver.
Harrogate Town close out the season with fixtures against two mid-table sides, with seemingly less to play for.
While Crawley Town must host fourth-place Salford City on the last day, Newport County and Barrow AFC will meet for an all-important clash at the bottom of the table.
Walsall and Barnet, despite being unlikely to reach the play-off spots and finish within the top 7, will still be testing fixtures.
However, as a frustrated Danny Cowley summed up this past weekend, after his Colchester side conceded right at the death to Harrogate Town, “we’re battling for our lives as well.”
Cowley’s side were on a three-game win streak going into the fixture, including a 3 – 0 victory over the promotion-chasing Swindon Town.
Having started the day in 13th place, he said, “we’re playing in the lower leagues. We’re playing for our mortgages, to put food on our children’s tables. That’s what we’re doing.
That game was no more important for Harrogate than it was to us.”
Ultimately, in these final two games for all sides threatened by relegation, there will be no such thing as an easy game.
Were Harrogate Town to prove unsuccessful in these final two fixtures, and be relegated from the English Football League, it would deprive them of a seventh successive season in the fourth tier.
They have occupied a spot in the Sky Bet League Two since their promotion through the National League play-off final in the 2019/2020 season.
Their highest League Two finish came in the 2023/2024 season where they closed off the season in 13th place, before backsliding down to 18th the following season.
Currently, Weaver is the longest-serving manager in the EFL class of 92 teams, despite 11 years outside of the EFL, having been in charge of the sulphurites since May 2009.
Simon is the son of club owner, Irving Weaver, who took over as owner and chairman in 2011.
The next two longest-serving managers in the EFL? None other than Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, since July 2016, and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, since December 2022.
Weaver’s side will need to focus on improving their efficiency in front of goal, however, if they wish to retain their place in the EFL.
The sulphurites have scored the fewest goals this season (36) and have the second-worst goal difference in the league (-30).
The lack of a prolific goalscorer is Harrogate Town’s main issue, with their highest scoring players in the league, Jack Muldoon and Stephen Duke-McKenna, having just 5 goals each.
With a lack of clarity in who will deliver the goals for the side, it is vulnerable to heavy shakeups within the line-up.
In Saturday’s 1-0 home victory over Colchester United, which was just the fourth win the sulphurites had recorded at The Exercise Stadium this season, Weaver made a staggering seven changes to the team sheet.
Their starting line-up featured an entirely different front four than their loss against Newport County the week prior.
Speaking after the game, Weaver did not believe that this significant alteration of the matchday squad explained the positive result.
“We’re not afraid to change it, and I rate all the lads,” said Weaver.
“I think they’re all capable. It’s about playing for big moments, and we had a big moment at the end.”
Just how important Jacob Slater’s last-minute winner for the sulphurites will be proven in due time, but if Harrogate can pull off this great escape, the moment will certainly be credited for the shift in momentum.
If a trip to Walsall on the 25th of April proves successful, Harrogate Town will have their home fans behind them for what could be a crucial final game against Barnet on the 2nd of May.
Credit for featured image – Harrogate Town AFC / Facebook.