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Football: Town target early points from Motors



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Published Date: 07 August 2008
HARROGATE Town manager Neil Aspin is sweating on the fitness of several key players before their season opener against Vauxhall Motors at the CNG Stadium tomorrow (3pm kick-off).
Aspin was desperate to finish their pre-season campaign with a full strength squad intact but injury scares to Jamie Smith, Danny Holland, Matty Young, Nicky Gray and Ryan Toulson could provide a selection headache for the Town boss.
Holland and Smith were both absent from their 2-1 victory away at North Ferriby United on Saturday, Danny Lowe and Richard Marshall grabbing the goals.
They were also given an extra few days to rest with Aspin fielding a mainly reserve team for their final game against Stocksbridge Park Steels on Tuesday night.
Liam Ormsby, Jonathon Hedge and Luke Malcher the only members of the first team squad on show, with Town eventually losing 6-0.
However Aspin is hopeful his key men will be fit and raring to go tomorrow with the manager desperate to start their Blue Square North campaign on a high.
"We've got a few niggles at the moment," said Aspin.
"During the North Ferriby game there were a few nasty challenges going in. Nicky Gray was on the end of some rough tackles during the game and he picked up a knock.
"Jamie Smith and Danny Holland didn't play on Saturday and Matty Young hasn't played since the Leeds United game when he picked up a hamstring problem.
"That was one of the reasons why I didn't play a full strength side on Tuesday night against Stocksbridge, it was just too close to the start of the new season."
Aspin has told his side not to underestimate perennial strugglers Vauxhall and is sure they, like Town, will have strengthened their side during the summer break.
"I think it's a really important game because the sooner we get three points under our belts the better and especially with us being at home," continued Aspin.
"Vauxhall got a reprieve from the league last season and they deserve a lot of credit for coming through a difficult time.
"There's no easy games in this division and that's the same against Vauxhall.
"But I know if we're going to achieve anything this season we've got to make sure we improve our home form. Last season after Christmas that's the thing that cost us and we need to make sure that doesn't happen again."
Town will have to do without defensive lynchpin and 2008/09 captain Denny Ingram who will be suspended for the first three games of the season.
With last year's skipper Roy Hunter leaving the club in the summer the armband will be thrown to midfielder Darren Dunning instead.
Aspin has backed Dunning to shine in his new role and paid tribute to Hunter for his commitment to the cause in his time at Wetherby Road.
"Roy's done a really good job for Harrogate and I can't speak highly of him, we just decided we needed some younger legs in midfield to partner Darren Dunning this year," continued Aspin.
"We've now lost Denny for three games but I've got an able replacement in Darren. He's a good person to have and has the right attitude to be captain."
Aspin also revealed midfielder/striker Nathan James has decided to leave the club despite playing a bit part in a few of the pre-season warm-up games.
Meanwhile on the pitch Aspin has expressed his dismay after Town were handed a long trip to Workington for their first away game of the new campaign on Tuesday (7.45pm ko).
Town face an equally arduous journey to Southport only four days later, but it's the mid-week trip to the west coast that's got the manager riled.
"I just can't understand it with whoever does the fixtures," said Aspin.
"We're playing Workington away on a Tuesday night when we've got people who have to travel there after work. It's difficult to prepare for a game like that.
"We'd be much happier playing them on a Saturday. It's not the most ideal fixture for your first away game but that's something we'll have to deal with."
Aspin is looking forward to their forthcoming Southport test and is desperate to improve on their positive performance at Haig Avenue last season.
Town were unlucky to draw the fixture 0-0 and now their boss is eager to go one better.
"I think there's a bit more pressure on Southport because everyone expects them to do well this season, but with Workington and Vauxhall maybe they don't expect them to do as well," he said.
"We played well there last season. We drew 0-0 but we controlled the game and really should have won it, I know we're very capable of getting a result there.
"The Southport game will be a good yardstick to see how far we've come as a side and how we're going to compete this season."

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  • Last Updated: 07 August 2008 3:10 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Harrogate
 
 
  

 
 


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