Harrogate Town and Northampton Town are separated by 17 places in the League Two table going into Tuesday's meeting at Wetherby Road.
Despite the disparity in their positions, only one win has been recorded by either side in 10 league matches combined, with the Cobblers' 1-0 win at Colchester United last time out ending their four-game winless sequence.
Match preview
Just when Harrogate felt they were on the cusp of a turnaround in fortune, they were handed a 3-0 thrashing at Swindon Town on Saturday.
The loss may have been the Sulphurites' first in four games, but wins have been hard to come by for Simon Weaver's team since Boxing Day.
The North Yorkshire team's 3-2 win over Grimsby Town on December 26 was their second in succession and a third success in four games, where they secured nine points from an available 12. However, only one victory has been claimed in the subsequent 11 fixtures.
Maximum points were picked up at second-placed Carlisle United at the start of February but that 1-0 success over the promotion-chasing team has not turned the tide for the relegation-threatened Harrogate.
Admittedly, there was a creditable 1-1 draw at sixth-placed Salford City on February 14. Yet, Weaver's disappointment at ties against Crewe Alexandra and Grimsby must rankle, especially in the former, where they lost a 2-0 lead in the final 10 minutes of proceedings.
Harrogate head into Tuesday's encounter with Northampton ranked 21st in the standings, four points clear of 23rd-placed Crawley Town, having played two games more. Their long-serving boss must be on edge.
That said, this week's visitors are not faring any better. The Cobblers' 1-0 success at Colchester on Saturday arrested a four-game sequence without maximum points, but they cannot rest on their laurels.
Preceding results saw Jon Brady's team pick up three points from the obtainable 12, so the slender triumph at the JobServe Community Stadium was just what the doctor ordered.
While the East Midlands club are in much better form than their opponents over an extended period, they need to show something different with their results since December 26 reading three victories in 11 League Two gameweeks.
Be that as it may, Northampton are just two points behind Stevenage in third and three adrift of second-placed Carlisle. Even though they must be conscious of a glut of sides behind them, with the clubs between fifth and ninth no more than four points adrift, the Cobblers know they are right in the promotion tussle.
They have played a game more than Stevenage above them but have been involved in 32 games to Carlisle's 33. Despite the downturn in results, Brady's men are not going anywhere and will battle hard for a top-three finish which guarantees promotion to League One.
Tuesday's meeting has been rescheduled from December, with a frozen pitch preventing the game from going ahead two months ago.
Team News
Weaver is not one to rotate his side, but Levi Sutton's injury-enforced withdrawal at the break in Saturday's loss at Swindon may force the Harrogate boss into making a midfield change.
Despite not scoring since mid-January, Luke Armstrong should lead the line for the home side, with Jack Muldoon playing in tandem.
The Sulphurites are expected to line up in a 4-4-2.
Northampton were forced into substitutions in the victory at Colchester, and Brady admitted Tyler Magloire and Shaun McWilliams are doubts for Tuesday's visit to North Yorkshire.
Aaron McGowan and Will Hondermarck are likely to replace the pair in the team, with the visiting outfit likely to stick with a 3-5-2.
Louis Appere netted his fourth goal of the season to win the game last time out, and he is likely to play alongside 17-goal man Sam Hoskins up front.
Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:
Oxley; Sims, O'Connor, Eastman, Foulds; Pattinson, Falkingham, Thomson, Olaigbe; Muldoon, Armstrong
Northampton Town possible starting lineup:
King; McGowan, Guthrie, Sherring; Lintott, McWilliams, Sowerby, Leonard, Koiki; Appere, Hoskins
We say: Harrogate Town 1-2 Northampton Town
This fixture has been dominated by Northampton since their relegation from League One, albeit after a small sample size of two games, with the East Midlands side claiming wins in both games last season.
Harrogate are in dire form, and the Cobblers' victory at Colchester should give them the lift needed to win by a slender margin on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
