Harrogate v Sutton preview and ticket update

27 January 2023

Sutton head north again on Saturday to take on Harrogate Town in a Sky Bet League Two clash. U's will be wearing all green. Although tickets are not on sale at the turnstiles on Saturday, it will be possible to buy on line from 9am on Saturday morning.

The link to buy tickets is here, and from 9am on Saturday the away area of the ground, to the right of the map, will become available. It is necessary to set up an account to buy tickets through the system, and you can do that by clicking here. Prices are: Adults £20; Concession £16(age 65+; Blue Light Card holders; Full time students; registered disabled. Proof of eligibility may be required in all cases); Under 18 £8; Under 12 £6; Under 5 free with one paying adult; Carer free with registered disabled ticket. Prices rise by £3 for seats. All admission will be through the South turnstile.

Sutton and Harrogate have become familiar opponents in recent years, first in the National League and then in League Two, and it was at the EnviroVent Stadium that U's finished a successful first EFL season, although the immediate feeling in May was of disappointment as despite winning 2-0 U's fell agonisingly short of a play-off place when other results failed to be favourable.

Harrogate finished last season in 19th place, and go in to Saturday's game one place below that, a poor run following an impressive opening day win against Swindon, and although three wins in a row lifted them up the table, since the third of those, a 3-2 win against Grimsby on Boxing Day, they have gone four games without a win.

Sutton won the game at the VBS in September, Kylian Kouassi's late winner coming after Luke Armstrong's penalty had cancelled out Harry Beautyman's header, and have been in good form since Christmas, losing just one of the five games and sitting five points outside the play off zone. Manager Matt Gray has no new injury worries, U's having been without a game since the defeat at Salford a fortnight ago, and has hinted at some new faces joining ahead of the trip to Yorkshire.

Cumbrian referee Anthony Backhouse is in his sixth season as an EFL referee and is taking charge of a Sutton game in the competition for the first time, although he did referee a National League game at Southport in 2016.

Anyone not going to the game can listen to an audio commentary through our iFollow system. A match pass costs £2.50, but it is also possible to buy an audio monthly pass for £4.49 or a season pass for £45. Overseas supporters can watch the game for £10, or take advantage of the current half-season ticket offer of £85, which expires on 31 January. Click here to buy any of the above passes - the overseas options will not be visible to UK supporters.

The supporters' coach leaves at 7am on Saturday morning.

Independent travellers going by car should leave the A1(M) at junction 47 and take the A59 towards Knaresborough. At a roundabout in a couple of miles, ignore the A59 signs and instead take the A658 towards Bradford. At the second roundabout turn right on to the A661. Pass a Sainsburys on the left and the ground is on the right just before the hospital. Post code is HG2 7SA. There is no parking at the ground, but street parking is available around the ground although parking restrictions apply in some cases. You can park for £5 at the Cedar Court Hotel in Park Parade (HG1 5AH) - book your car in, and pay, at reception. Alternatively use town centre car parks and walk to the ground.

By rail there are a number of options from King's Cross, changing at either York or Leeds, with a total journey time about three hours. It's about a 20 minute walk to the ground, or the bus number 7 from the adjacent bus station offers reduced fares on production of a match ticket. If travelling from Leeds you can also use Hornbeam Park station, about a 25 minute walk from the ground.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report for Harrogate Town 0 Sutton United 1

28 January 2023

Harrogate Town 0 Sutton United 1(Ajiboye 8)

David Ajiboye celebrated his return to the starting line up with the only goal of the game as Sutton moved in to the top half of the League Two table and within three points of the playoffs. Dominant in the first half, and worth more than the winger's 8th minute goal on his 150th Sutton appearance, Sutton had to battle more in the second half after Harrogate manager Simon Weaver responded to his side's first half performance with four half time substitutions, but some solid defending, and one superb save from Jack Rose, ensured that the first half effort didn't go to waste.

Ajiboye's inclusion at the expense of Enzio Boldewijn was the only outfield change from the team beaten at Salford a fortnight ago, and his impact was immediate, as inside the first minute he turned past Matty Foulds and darted in to the penalty area before the defender's challenge dragged him down, only for referee Anthony Backhouse to turn down what looked a cast iron penalty appeal.

It set the tone for the first half though, as Donovan Wilson was denied by a good save from Tom Jameson after being set up by Ali Smith following a throw-in, and only five minutes later another throw from the right again fell to Wilson, and his shot was blocked as far as Ajiboye, who made himself some space and fired a low left foot shot past Jameson from just inside the penalty area.

As Sutton continued to dominate Omar Bugiel had a shot blocked and Smith shot just over, and although Harrogate, briefly gained a foothold, Ben Goodliffe, like Ajiboye making his 150th Sutton appearance, blocking a Toby Sims shot that would probably have been saved comfortably by Rose. Sam Folarin, who had been booked for obstructing a free kick and then received a long lecture from the referee after two more indiscretions, shot wide from a good position, but the half ended with Sutton on top as much as at the start, cutting at will through a home defence that contained three debutants. There should have been more goals as Louis John headed wide from Craig Eastmond's cross and Ajiboye clipped the top of the crossbar from an almost identical position to that from which he had scored.

Outplayed to that stage, Harrogate responded decisively at the interval, making four changes, and were immediately on the attack. One of the half time replacements, Danny Grant, sent an early shot wide and Foulds had a free kick deflected for a corner, and with the crowd getting behind the home team Sutton were for the first time under pressure. Rose had an anxious moment when a shot from another substitute, Matty Daly, slithered under his body but wide of the post, but needed no luck soon afterwards when Daly attacked again before setting up Grant, whose shot deflected off Smith and produced a moment of brilliance from the keeper, who stuck a hand up with enough force to turn the ball over the bar. There was another scare for U's following the corner as Grant went over under a challenge from Dennis, but the referee waved away what, as with the Ajiboye incident in the first minute, looked valid penalty claims.

Sutton had moments of threat in the second half and Lee Angol, who like Matt Dennis was brought on for his Sutton debut, curled a free kick just wide of the near post before seeing a deflected shot loop past Jameson and clip the outside of the post. It was the home side pushing for an equaliser in the closing stages, though, with a cross from Jack Muldoon flashing in front of goal with Luke Armstrong not able to get his head to the ball, and Muldoon also dragging a shot wide when he might have done better, but otherwise Sutton were solid when the ball came in to the penalty area and held on for a valuable three points.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, R Milsom, C Eastmond(sub H Beautyman 85), B Goodliffe, L John, D Ajiboye(sub E Boldewijn 66), A Smith, O Bugiel (sub L Angol 75), D Wilson(sub M Dennis 66), W Randall. Subs n/u S Hart, L Ward, K Kouassi. Booked: Goodliffe

Harrogate: P Jameson, T Sims(sub K Ramsay H-T) J Mattock(sub M Daly H-T) T Eastman, A O'Connor, W Burrell(sub J Muldoon H-T), G Thomson(sub J Falkingham 66), A Pattison, L Armstrong, S Folarin(sub D Grant H-T), M Foulds. Subs n/u M Oxley, R McArdle. Booked: Folarin

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Attendance: 2,356(141 away)