🔥 Harrogate Town vs Crewe Alexandra: Can the Railwaymen Get Back on Track?
Harrogate Town are buzzing after back-to-back League Two wins and will be looking to make it three on the bounce when they take on Crewe Alexandra on Monday night.
Crewe, meanwhile, have had a bit of a bumpy run lately. A win here would be huge for them—potentially pushing them right back into the playoff picture.
Form Guide
Simon Weaver’s Harrogate side finished well short of the playoff zone last season—17 points off, to be exact. They’ll definitely want to improve on that this year.
They started the season pretty well, losing just once in their first five, but then came a rough patch with four straight defeats that dumped them down to 16th.
The good news? They seem to have steadied the ship lately. Two clean sheets on the trot have boosted confidence and brought them back within touching distance—just three points behind Bristol Rovers, who currently hold the last playoff spot.
As for Crewe, Lee Bell’s men looked red-hot at the start of the season with four straight wins. But since then, it’s been a mixed bag—just one win in their last six games (plus a draw and four losses).
Their attack has cooled off too. After banging in 10 goals in those opening four matches, they’ve only scored four in the last six. Bell will be hoping his forwards rediscover that early-season spark soon.
Last season’s 13th-place finish means this is Crewe’s fourth straight year in League Two, and they’ll be desperate to push higher this time around.
Head-to-Head
Both sides ended up in the bottom half last season, but this year feels a little different. Harrogate have tightened up defensively, while Crewe still carry some serious attacking threat—if they can click again.
Team News
For Harrogate, Mason Bennett limped off after 41 minutes in their last outing, which could open the door for Shawn McCoulsky to start up front. Stephen Duke-McKenna is likely to keep his spot out wide.
Conor McAleny, who’s been out of the last three league games, caught the eye with an assist in the EFL Trophy and could be pushing for a return to the starting lineup.
Crewe’s star man Josh March has been the one to watch so far—seven goal involvements in ten starts. Expect him to lead the line again.
Defensively, things haven’t been so solid for the Railwaymen, with no clean sheets since mid-August. Lee Bell might shuffle things around at the back to tighten up.
Predicted Lineups
Harrogate Town possible XI:
Belshaw; Burrell, O’Connor, Faulkner, Slater; Morris, Evans; Duke-McKenna, Smith, Taylor; McCoulsky
Crewe Alexandra possible XI:
Booth; Billington, Demetriou, Golding, Finney; Sanders, Thomas; O’Reilly, Holicek, Agius; March
Prediction
Both these teams have shown glimpses that they can mix it with the playoff contenders, but Crewe’s attacking quality might just make the difference here.
Score Prediction: Harrogate Town 0–2 Crewe Alexandra
The Railwaymen are starting to find their rhythm again, and we fancy them to bag another solid away win to keep the pressure on the top six.
Players to Watch
Josh March (Crewe): In great form and always a threat in front of goal.
Stephen Duke-McKenna (Harrogate): Brings energy and creativity down the flank.
Conor McAleny (Harrogate): Could be the wildcard if he starts—sharp and unpredictable.
Betting Tips
Crewe to win – The visitors look good value here given Harrogate’s inconsistency.
Under 2.5 goals – Harrogate have tightened up defensively lately.
Josh March to score anytime – He’s been Crewe’s danger man this season.
Wrap Up
It’s shaping up to be a tight one, but Crewe might just edge it if they find their early-season mojo again. Harrogate will fight hard at home, though, and if their defense stays solid, it could get interesting.
Either way, Monday night’s clash should tell us a lot about both sides’ playoff ambitions.