Simon Weaver backs Harrogate Town defence to improve after conceding late goals to Crewe Alexandra

Tariq Uwakwe snatched a point for Crewe at Harrogate as he grabbed his first goal in 39 outings for the Railwaymen to secure a 2-2 draw at Wetherby Road following his 89th-minute strike.

Just six minutes earlier, Dan Agyei’s penalty had reduced the deficit after Jack Muldoon and Kazeem Olaigbe had put the hosts in the ascendancy.

Weaver has now seen his struggling side keep just one clean sheet in their last 16 home games, but insisted that a defence consisting exclusively of transfer-window signings – including Anthony O’Connor who clipped Agyei’s heels for the game’s pivotal spot kick – will improve and feels his squad is in a stronger position to avoid relegation from League Two.

He said: “I know we have got a good defence now but we are still integrating them and there will be bumps along the way. I have players in there who have 900 league games to their names between them and, whilst I’m disappointed that we didn’t maximise our chance to get three points, I know we have a better squad now.”

Harrogate Town: Oxley, Falkingham, Olaigbe, Sims (Burrell 74), O’Connor, Pattison (Folarin 86), Sutton (Thomson 64), Muldoon (Grant 86), Armstrong, Foulds, Eastman. Unused substitutes: Jameson, McArdle, Daly.

Crewe Alexandra: Richards, Adebisi, McDonald, Offord, Thomas (Brook 64), Ainley (Uwakwe 75), Agyei, O’Riordan (Robertson 59), Finnigan, Nevitt, Tabiner. Unused substitutes: Beadle, Griffiths, Sambou, Sass-Davis.

Referee: L Smith (Wigan)