Harrogate Town: ‘We were absolutely daft at the back at times with our decision-making’ admits Simon Weaver

The Sulphurites matched high-flying Northampton for long periods at Wetherby Road on Saturday, but conceded twice at set-pieces on their way to a 2-1 loss.

Trailing to Fraser Horsfall’s close-range opener from a right-wing corner, Jack Diamond drew Harrogate level with a fine individual strike on 24 minutes. But, Jon Guthrie headed the Cobblers back in front four minutes after half-time and Weaver’s men were unable to muster a second equaliser.

“At times we played some very good football and looked good going forwards again but two balls into the box [were] not defended. We know where the problem is, we know where we’ve slipped up in the table because of balls into the box and not being aggressive enough, it’s as simple as that.

“We shouldn’t be 1-0 down. We were absolutely daft at the back at times with our decision-making, we’re just not defending with grit and determination and it has become a recurring problem.

“We were a big danger to ourselves. We can’t afford to give away impetuous free-kicks away because one ball into the box, we’re not defending it properly.

“I’ve seen it back on the video, its not good watching defensively, we had a line of eight defending that ball and we allowed two opponents to get between a wall of eight. There was nobody attacking the ball, which is really galling being a defender myself.”

Harrogate Town: Oxley; Sheron (Fallowfield 71), Burrell, Hall, Page; Pattison, Falkingham, Kerry (Muldoon 80); Thomson, Armstrong, Diamond. Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Orsi, Power.

Northampton: Roberts; McGowan, Guthrie, Horsfall, Koiki; Hoskins (Flores 89), Lewis, Sowerby, Pinnock; Rose (Connolly 85), Kabamba. Unused substitutes: Maxted, Pollock, Ashley-Seal, Dyche.

Referee: C Brook (Sussex).