Antoni Sarcevic, a Warren Burrell own goal and Will Collar secured Stockport County an eighth consecutive win in all competitions, with Harrogate’s reply from George Thomson’s penalty nothing more than a consolation.

It was a comprehensive performance from the visitors, who also saw Odin Bailey hit an upright late on.

“We lost to a good team but, if you give them chances, they will take them,” said Weaver.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver (Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images)

“They were ruthless because our expected goals number was actually higher, so there’s reason to be optimistic moving forward because we looked quite creative and our front four worked really hard to prise them open on occasions.

“But two mistakes led to their first two goals. We started the game looking professional, solid and hard to break down but, just before 15 minutes, a fundamental error from a throw-in has given them a goal, as well as hope and belief.

“Josh March had already hit the bar for us by that point and we fought back with Matty Daly going close a couple of times but you can’t give away the first two goals in the way that we did against a team that I expect to go up with the quality that they have in their squad.”

Harrogate Town: Oxley, Ramsay, O'Connor, Burrell, Gibson, Falkingham, Cornelius, Thomson, M Daly, J Daly (Folarin 67), March (Muldoon 76). Unused substitutes: Thomas, Sims, Sivi, Foulds, Armstrong.

Stockport County: Hinchliffe, Southam-Hales, Wright, Horsfall, Pye, Collar, Croasdale (Camps 83), Bailey, Sarcevic, Olaofe (Madden 74), Barry (Wootton 74). Unused substitutes: Smith, Hippolyte, Pond, Richardson.

Referee: T Parsons (Manchester).

'Reasons to be optimistic' as Harrogate Town fail to quell Stockport County's march