Gate on revenge mission

Ralph Zoing's men face what could be their toughest home game of the season, at home to Wharfedale, who thrashed them 25-0 only last month.

Zoing, who missed that horror show, does not expect a repeat and will have his squad fired up as they bid to extend their six-match winning run at Claro Road.

"Wharfedale are the first team we play second time around this season so we know everybody's strengths and weaknesses," he said.

"With Wharfedale we know what to expect anyway so we are not going to worry too much about them. We need to be focused on our own game, play the way we want to play and let them do the worrying."

Zoing feels the six games between now and the end of January will go a long way towards deciding who wins promotion from an increasingly competitive National League Division Two in which Harrogate lie second behind Bracknell. With the leaders facing a tricky trip to Rugby, Harrogate could regain top spot.

"It is difficult to predict anything in this league, with everybody capable of beating everybody else," said Zoing, who expects one side - it could be Harrogate if they improve on their travels - to put a run together and emerge from the pack.

Wharfedale were looking to do that until they lost to Nottingham, a team Harrogate had little trouble with the previous week.

Zoing is forced into shuffling his pack with Pete Taylor unavailable because of RAF duties. John Dudley moves up to partner Paul Clarke in the second row and Richard Wade returns at No 8.

Graeme Sarjeant has recovered from a knock, which kept him out at Preston, and returns at centre with Craig Reed dropping to the bench where he is joined by Scott Wilson.

The ex-Morley prop continues his remarkable recovery from a serious back injury sustained in a car crash three months ago which was expected to rule him out for the season. He played a full game for Harrogate Georgians last week after two outings as a replacement, and is joined on the bench by Yorkshire Under-20s lock Matthew Boyle.