Harrogate Are More Than Happy As The Live Title Sideshow

Not for Harrogate Town and their players this weekend.

While all the focus will be on Leyton Orient, the Yorkshire club hope to achieve their main objective.

The BT cameras are there to capture the title race perhaps, but there are other matters at hand too.

On the face of it, Simon Weaver’s side appear a shoe-in for the play-offs.

After all, they’ve been there all season and have a healthy five point advantage with three games to go.

Recent form hasn’t undermined a great first National League season, but it has allowed a little doubt to creep in.

Not from their players, it’s worth pointing out.

Josh Falkingham knows the recent iffy spell is just that and nothing more. He says being under the radar can work perfectly for them on Good Friday.

“I think sometimes people forget this is the club’s first season at this level,” he said.

“We came into the National League with very little experience of the level as a squad. People assumed because Harrogate had such a great year last year that it would be easy to have another go.

“We knew before a ball was kicked that we were going into the unknown.

“Overall we have done superbly, and there’s no big concern about recent results.

“With a bit of luck over Easter we can claim a play-off place and then see if we can repeat what we did in the National League North last season. That would be incredible.”

What a year it was, and it’s allowed them to play in games like this weekend’s trip to Leyton Orient in front of 7,000 supporters and the TV cameras.

“We’re going into it with a clear vision,” he said.

“All the talk is about Leyton Orient and that’s fine with us. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do and we have got clear heads.

“Results previous to this one go out the window really. Orient have their own agenda, they’ll be going for it but we have something massive to play for as well.”

One win in six isn’t the form they wanted at an important time of the season.

“Since the turn of the year it has been a bit up and down,” he adds.

“But let’s remember I don’t think we have been out of the play-off places once - all things considered it is great, but I am not surprised because I know how good this group are.

“I would like to give a clear answer to how many points we need to finish in the top seven but I can’t.

“It’s about us finding our consistency levels and now and taking the game to Leyton Orient.”

The 28-year-old is loving being back in Yorkshire after spending seven years playing in Scotland.

The Leeds-born midfielder had spells with St Johnstone, Arbroath and Dunfermline before Darlington came calling in 2017.

“It’s my area and I love playing here,” he said.

“Scotland was good for me, a great experience but this is a great league and we want another promotion.”