Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver has described Barrow AFC as a “slippery team” who make things hard for opponents.

The Bluebirds will aim to bolster their League Two survival hopes this afternoon against a visiting side who sit 13th in the table.

Mark Cooper’s men will be out to extend their gap to six points above the bottom two at the Dunes Hotel Stadium this afternoon.

But they must do so against a Harrogate team buoyed by their midweek win at Yorkshire rivals Bradford City.

Long-serving Sulphurites manager Weaver says Cooper has put his stamp on Barrow’s style of play.

“They’re a good footballing team,” said Weaver on his club's YouTube channel.

“Mark Cooper at Forest Green really paved the way for them at that club in terms of their plan of attack and style of play.

“He’s taken it on at Barrow. They’re a slippery team to play against because they do commit to passing and have got some gifted players.

“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right mindset. We can’t have an ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’. This is about producing the goods.”

Today’s game sees Cooper begin an eight-game touchline ban over comments he allegedly made in last August’s game against Exeter City.

His No2 Richard Dryden will be in the dugout as manager Cooper prepares to watch from the stand.

AFC’s trip to Exeter was called off last Saturday amid safety concerns during Storm Eunice, meaning today’s game is Barrow’s first for two weeks.

Cooper told the BBC that the enforced break could allow him to bring “one or two” players back from recent injury absences.

Frontman Josh Gordon could come back into things after being sidelined in recent weeks.

On Harrogate, the AFC boss added: “They’re very attack-minded, have some good pace, counter-attacks, they’ve got some good players.

“It’s been a crazy few weeks for them in terms of their goals for and against.

“They’re entertaining to watch and managed to get over the line at Bradford the other night. It should be a cracking game.”

Cooper insisted his only current concern was today’s game rather than assessing the run of games coming up that can determine how AFC’s survival bid unfolds.

“If you get too focused on three or four weeks’ time, you take your eye off Saturday, which is most important.

“We’ll worry about those when they come along.”