Simon Weaver details changing room honesty after Harrogate Town's 4-1 defeat to MK Dons
Harrogate Town players owned up to shoddy defending after their 4-1 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons, according to manager Simon Weaver.
The Sulphurites took the lead through Tobias Brenan but their advantage lasted just four minutes.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy put the Dons back on level terms and the hosts then built a lead of their own with goals from Luke Offord, Aaron Collins and Ben Wiles.
The defeat was Harrogate’s first in six outings, but they still sit bottom of the League Two table.
Simon Weaver reflects
Weaver said: “[I am] disappointed to lose the game but I didn’t feel like it was a 4-1 defeat. I thought we were excellent at times. Of course, we needed to put away more chances so that’s reflected in the scoreline. We gave away uncharacteristically soft goals.
“The lads have been very honest in the changing room straight away and held their hands up to say in terms of the defensive side, they were too soft, those goals, and they’re moments we’ve got to do better.
“I thought we were probably a little excitable from going a goal ahead and the organisational set-up and structure just went awry a little bit for five minutes.
“That’s what it takes for them to get the home crowd going and puncture us with their passing. That’s something for us to definitely recognise and review to learn from it.”
Paul Warne’s view
Dons boss Paul Warne, meanwhile, said: “I don’t think the scoreline flattered us but if you’d said after 25-30 minutes that we’d win 4-1, you’d be surprised.
“I’m not being patronising about any team in this league, as every team causes different problems.
“They’re a really fit young side who can play, can move the ball really well along the box, and caused us loads of problems, which I expected.
“They’re a good team whose position in the league isn’t what they have been in the last five or six games.
“I’m not too sure we deserved to go in winning at half-time, that’s the truth, but over the course of the game, I did think we did enough to win and it’s pleasing.”