Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver fuming after 'free gifts' hand Colchester United easy win

HARROGATE TOWN boss Simon Weaver blasted his team’s defending as they crashed 3-1 at home to fellow strugglers Colchester United.
By Vic Allen
Published 8th Jan 2023, 14:21 BST
Updated 8th Jan 2023, 16:33 BST

Goals from John Akinde, Noah Chilvers and Junior Tchamadeu put the visitors in command before Luke Armstrong’s consolation as Colchester made it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

Akinde, who was singled out for praise by Bloomfield, was also denied a second goal by an excellent save from Pete Jameson, while Al-Amin Kazeem hit an upright direct from a corner.

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After seeing his side concede three goals to a fellow bottom-six outfit for the second time running following a 3-3 draw at Hartlepool.

ANGRY: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver was unhappy with his side's defending against Colchester United Picture: Mike Egerton/PAANGRY: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver was unhappy with his side's defending against Colchester United Picture: Mike Egerton/PA
ANGRY: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver was unhappy with his side's defending against Colchester United Picture: Mike Egerton/PA

He fumed: “I’m not happy at all. I was really disappointed with the standard of defending.

“We gifted them their goals and you have to be devastated with that. I have told the lads that it just wasn’t acceptable.

“You have to dig in to get results and I wouldn’t mind a scruffy 0-0 with this back-line. It was totally not good enough.

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“If you get the system wrong as a manager, then you hold your hands up but, whatever system you’re playing, if you can’t deal with a ball straight down the middle of the pitch and don’t win the first or second balls, then you’re in trouble.

“Colchester had a lot of experience in their defence and, because of the two early goals we gave them, it meant they could sit back, and then it becomes difficult.

“You see that even at the top level when teams make the pitch more compact.”

Colchester boss Matt Bloomfield, added: ““We carried a big threat all afternoon. We scored three goals and could have had more, but we also defended with discipline.”

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Harrogate Town: Jameson, Ramsay, McArdle, Burrell, Headley, Thomson (Angus 73), Falkingham, Pattison, Grant (Frost 82), Folarin (Muldoon 46), Armstrong. Unused substitutes: Oxley, Welch-Hayes, Wright, Austerfield.

Colchester United: O'Hara, Chambers, Smith, Dallison, Tchamadeu, Skuse (Read 82), Ashley, Kazeem (Wood 74), Chilvers (Hannant 74), Akinde (Sears 90), Tovide (Newby 82). Unused substitutes: Kelleher, Hornby.

Referee: Darren Handley (Lancashire).

Related topics:Simon WeaverLuke Armstrong