Simon Weaver has warned his Harrogate Town players they will be up against a team on a similar roll to theirs before the cold snap forced them out of action.

Having played for Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst at Ilkeston Town, former defender Weaver is full of admiration for the Mariners.

Postponements deprived the Sulphurites of two opportunities to build on consecutive League Two wins, but it should come around at Wetherby Road on Boxing Day.

They enjoyed good wins over Mansfield Town and Rochdale – either side, it must be said, of a disappointing FA Cup exit at Hartlepool United – so were frustrated to lose the next two scheduled games to frozen pitches. Grimsby have been in decent shape too.

LIKE-MINDED: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver played under Grimsby Town's Paul Hurst, and recognises similar values

"We've got to make sure we've got the focus to not let it slip," said Weaver of his side's recent mini-run. "Three back-to-back wins would be huge for our season and make the table look completely different from where we were three games ago but it's a tough prospect, this game.

"We've been watching a lot of coverage of Grimsby and they had a great FA Cup victory against Plymouth, they went to Wimbledon and were probably the better team on the day (in defeat), and beat Tranmere last time out.

"Paul Hurst was the last manager I played for and I know the quality he looks for in players. He's a very good manager.

"What he wants is a lot of the time what I want – energy, honesty and a good group of lads for a good changing-room atmosphere but it doesn't really make it any easier because I know they've got big, strong lads, they play at a high tempo and they've got a partisan support behind them.

"We have to prepare the lads and give them the encouragement that if we play like we have the last two or three games we give ourselves a decent opportunity of doing well."

There will be no help from the treatment room but it should be on its way soon.

"Against Bradford (on Thursday) we should be a bit stronger," said Weaver. "Hopefully over the next few weeks we'll see the return of a fair few that have been missing.

"We're looking forward to finally getting proper competition for places, even for the bench."

Simon Weaver warns Harrogate Town that Grimsby Town will be confident as Sulphurites seek third straight League Two win