Harrogate Town assistant wants 'scruffy win' at Mansfield Town to get their season back on track

The Sulphurites suffered their fourth defeat in six League Two matches when they went down 3-0 at Leyton Orient on Saturday, a result which sees them drop to 14th in the table.

Assistant boss Thirlwell concedes too many players’ standards have dropped in recent weeks, but is adamant that there is sufficient quality within the Town squad to turn things around.

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Town travel to the One Call Stadium on Tuesday night to face a Mansfield side who are still looking for their first home win of the season.

“I don’t want to get too downbeat with the lads because that group of players, the vast majority of them, have been colossal for us over a long period of time and we want them to get better and grow with us and be League Two players,” said Thirlwell, who is standing in for boss Simon Weaver, who remains in Covid-19 isolation.

“But, at the minute, being honest, some of, or a lot of them, have fallen below the standards that we expect.

“Sometimes we need to score a scruffy goal, the ball coming off someone’s backside or the bridge of their nose. We just need a scruffy goal, maybe a scruffy win.”

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