Simon Weaver gave his Harrogate Town players a shake this week after sensing some drift.

The Sulphurites lost six straight matches in League Two and the FA Cup before the welcome relief of the Football League Trophy, where they are 100 per cent this season.

And Weaver stepped in to ensure that remained the case when his side went into half-time at 1-1 with Newcastle United Under-21s. The result was a 3-1 win and a second-half performance he wants to see continued at Notts County on Saturday, where injuries and internationals could deprive them of 12 players.

"We had to clear the air at half-time and at full-time there were heated words in the changing room because people can get in a bit of a haze in all walks of life and feel sorry for themselves," revealed Weaver.

SPARKED UP: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver gave his players a piece of his mind on Tuesday (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

placeholder image — SPARKED UP: Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver gave his players a piece of his mind on Tuesday (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

"We wiped the lens and went, 'Why are you contributing to a downfall by not pulling your socks up and giving absolutely everything, which is what you do when you play your best? Put that right and put it right now.'

"Every time we've turned the corner from a wobble it's hard work and an absolute stubborn attitude.

"It might seem brutal but if you let people drift, they will. That's my job, to try and rectify that and tell them the truth whether it's nice or bad.

"I just sensed it and it sparked up a bit in me where I go, 'Woah, hang on a minute, can't feel sorry for ourselves and we don't want people jogging where we need that bite.'"

INJURY: Harrogate Town's Tom Hill (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Liam Gibson, Bobby Faulkner and Tom Hill are out as Harrogate await the results of scans on injuries picked up on Tuesday. There is a wider concern for the manager.

"We keep having hamstring injuries, tendon injuries, and it's the severity," he said. "We're trying to drill into it and find out why because it's hurting our chances of doing well.

"When a lot of money is soaked up on the medical side it's making life hard for the footballing side.

"We are taking guidance from experienced professionals and physiotherapists to try and find out what we could be doing more of or less of.

"The rehab is so extensive I'm thinking I'd love them back a bit earlier but then to not last 25 minutes in some cases the other night, Tom Hill and Liam Gibson had more exhaustive training sessions with the team for what seems like weeks."