Aspin aiming to hit the ground running in 2009

9:05am Wednesday 31st December 2008

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FOURTH-PLACED Harrogate Town will be aiming to close the gap at the top of Blue Square North with a New Year double header.

Manager Neil Aspin takes his side to Farsley Celtic tomorrow (3pm) in a reverse of the Boxing Day fixture, which Town won 1-0, before hosting Southport at Wetherby Road on Saturday (3pm).

Richard Marshall was Town’s match-winner against Celtic, clinching a victory that ended a desperate sequence of five league and cup defeats.

Aspin will be keen for a repeat as his side look to play catch-up with top three Tamworth, Southport and Telford.

Meanwhile, rivals Harrogate Railway Athletic face the toughest possible start to 2009 as they host UniBond League division one north leaders Halifax Town at Station View.

Halifax are on course to make a rapid climb back up the league pyramid, while Railway are clinging on to a place in the UniBond League, lying second from bottom with only four wins from their 20 games.

There are no Northern Counties East League fixtures on New Year’s Day.

Pickering Town, Selby Town, Scarborough Athletic and Tadcaster Albion all return to action on Saturday.