Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver frustrated over costly refereeing decisions against Walsall

Goals from Nathan Lowe and Albert Adomah fired the Saddlers to a comfortable 2-0 victory on the road at 10-man Harrogate – who had had Josh March sent off in the first half for two bookings.

“It’s not a devastating blow to lose in this manner, when things have conspired against us,” said Weaver

“We had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside, again. I’ve seen the coverage and it wasn’t offside. We then had a man sent off, which was unjust to say the least – both of the yellow cards.

“And it was farcical with the weather, especially in the second half where it seemed to get worse. We had the wind with us in the first half and I thought that we started well, we tried to get hold of the ball against the league’s best at the minute.

“Then, the goals that we conceded were perfectly executed by Walsall, and sometimes you can’t really point the blame. Fine finishes from their centre-forwards were the difference.”

On-loan Stoke forward Lowe netted his 10th league goal of the season to break the deadlock in the 34th minute, fizzing a low strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards out after dispossessing Stephen Dooley.

March was then controversially sent off after receiving two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.

With the wind at their backs, Walsall completely dominated the second period.

Charlie Lakin forced a superb save from James Belshaw before Adomah’s neat close-range finish made the game safe in the 69th minute.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Moon, O'Connor, Foulds, Sims (Folarin 60), Sutton, Cornelius, Dooley (Muldoon 57), Asare (Duke-Mckenna 67), M Daly, March. Unused substitutes: Oxley, Burrell, Bray, Etherington.

Walsall: Simkin, Okagbue, Williams, Allen (Weir 89), C Barrett, Jellis (Earing 74), Stirk (McEntee 81), Lakin, L Gordon, Adomah, Lowe (Johnson 80). Unused substitutes: Hornby, Daniels, Cleary.

Referee: Sam Mulhall (England).