Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Saturday’s football game at Envirovent Stadium pits together Harrogate and Hartlepool, the two relegation-threatened teams. The Sulphurites have been slipping down the standings week by week, with the team extending their losing run to three games at Colchester. The hosts are desperate to put an end to the negative trend, and we are positive that they will leave their hearts on the field in the relegation six-pointer.
Both Warren Burrell and Josh Falkingham are pushing for a start after the duo came from the bench in the last league match. The Pools, on the other hand, experienced all sorts of problems at the back in a 3-1 loss to Carlisle United. Considering that Keith Curle’s men have been struggling on the road this season, we do not believe that Harrogate will have a better chance than this to return to winning ways in the English fourth tier. The good news for the away side is that forward Mikael Ndjoli has overcome his injury.
Highlighted Player (Mark Oxley):
Born in Sheffield, England, on the 2nd of June, 1990, Oxley's football journey started as a Rotherham youth product. The English International signed his first professional contract with the Millers in 2007 but failed to make a single appearance for the club during that season.
The following season, he signed for Hull City, who, in turn, sent him out on successive loans to clubs like Walsall, Grimbsy Town, Oldham Athletic, and Hibernian. The 6ft 3-inch goalkeeper's professional debut meanwhile, came on the 27th of February, 2010, playing for Grimbsy in a 2-0 away loss to Dagenham in League Two. Oxley's performance during his six-month loan period with Hibernian earned him a permanent deal. He signed a two-year contract starting with the club in July 2015. In his time at the Scottish outfit, he made 90 appearances and kept 35 clean sheets. Oxley then joined his current club Southend in July 2016 on an initial two-year deal.
He had a fantastic first season, winning both fans' player of the year and players' player of the year awards. As of August 2018, Oxley has signed a contract extension and also got given the captain's armband. On the International forefront, the 29-year-old is a former youth International having capped once for England at the under-18 level.