SIMON WEAVER had nothing but praise for the way his Harrogate Town players approached their FA Cup second round clash with non-league Gainsborough Trinity.

Dean Cornelius’ second-half header proved sufficient to settle Friday night’s contest in front of live TV cameras, preventing the League Two Sulphurites suffering an upset at the hands of the lowest-ranked team left in the competition.

And Weaver said he was confident that his side would progress to the third round for just the second time in their history given what he had witnessed in the build up to the game.

“I could tell (in training) and by the way they arrived (for the game), that the players were up for it,” said Weaver.

GOING THROUGH: Harrogate Town's Dean Cornelius (centre) celebrates scoring his team's winning goal against Gainsborough Trinity at The Exercise Stadium Picture: Nigel French/PA

“There was no way you were going to get Harrogate Town being sloppy and being arrogant, simple as that.

“I was confident, but we were never taking it for granted, and it's the same with everybody in the building.

"It was just a case of getting over the line.”

Conquerors of League One high-flyers Wrexham in round one, Town avoided becoming victims of a cup shock themselves thanks to a thoroughly professional, high-intensity performance.

They created enough chances to have won the game by a more comfortable margin and never really looked in any real danger of conceding at the other end.

“We've got good team spirit, there was good creativity in the side, a good tempo and we didn't prevaricate with the ball,” added Weaver. “We weren't slow with it as we didn't want to invite trouble.

“We would have loved to have knocked five or six in, but Gainsborough put up such a good fight after a brilliant cup run themselves, so we're delighted to overcome them in the end.”

Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver and why he was so pleased with FA Cup progress at expense of Gainsborough Trinity