Boss Simon Weaver ready for challenge as Harrogate Town set to make FA cup history
They'll play Championship side Luton Town in the third round on Sunday
Last updated 7th Jan 2022
Harrogate Town are hoping for another upset when they face Luton Town on Sunday in the third round of the FA Cup.
It will be Town's first ever appearance at this stage in the competition, and they're expecting to be up against tougher opposition.
The Sulphurites beat League One side Portsmouth 2-1 in the cup last month despite being away from home, and saw off National League team Wrexham in the first round.
Boss Simon Weaver says the club will enjoy making history when they play in the third round for the first time, but his players will be ready for the fight.
"We’ve never beaten league 1 opposition before in the last round, we managed to do that. And we’ve never played championship opposition so it’s a great experience to look forward to", he said.
"We’ve got lads that are very aspirational themselves and as a club we want to set new targets and break through new ceilings.
"It’s a game where we have to expect a really top championship team to have passages of play where we don’t see the ball, but as long as we keep calm and don’t cause our own problems by jumping in and committing fouls, hopefully we can break and cause problems for them too."
Squad updates
Weaver was boosted by Rory McArdle's return to the starting XI in Tuesday's victory over Carlisle United - he and George Thompson will be available as the midfielder returns from suspension.
Ryan Fallowfield, Warren Burrell and loanees Josh Austerfield and Brahima Diarra are also eligible to play.
Aaron Martin and Simon Power remain injured while Alex Pattison and Will Smith are doubtful - Mark Beck is cup tied having played in the tournament for York City.
The opposition
Luton Town currently sit in 16th place in the Championship, with 29 points from 22 games, and are playing their third consecutive season in the league.
They've only been beaten on three occasions at their home of Kenilworth Road this season, while their last game saw the Hatters draw with promotion-chasing Fulham.