Simon Weaver keen to write new Harrogate Town chapter as Doncaster Rovers' rival Grant McCann rebuffs bogey ground talk

But while it may have been a reminder of feted days and nights of yore during his epic tenure, Weaver wants his side’s latest derby triumph over Doncaster Rovers to be the start of something fresh and new.

Under the lights and in front of a watching TV audience, the Sulphurites - without a home goal let alone a win in front of their own supporters in 2024-25 beforehand - made up for lost time with a performance brim-full of commitment, intensity and heart which resulted in a deserved 2-0 success.

Weaver watched on with pride and admiration, but now wants more, much more.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “We’ve got to capitalise on this moment.

"Because of this performance, you’d like to think the supporters will continue to come back and back the players.

"We can’t harp on about promotion four years ago for the rest of our lives, because then a bit of sadness creeps in.

"We’ve established ourselves at this level and want to kick on and wins like this gave us continued belief.

"This seemed totally 'us' in how we got here in the first place.”

While Rovers fans may scoff at talk at fixtures with Harrogate assuming derby status - and Bradford City's followers also will for that matter - it is fair to say that local affairs bring out the best in Weaver’s side.

Thursday's events, with Harrogate prevailing thanks to first-half goals from the impressive Ellis Taylor and Josh March, extended Town’s unbeaten league sequence against Rovers to five matches.

There was also food for thought for Bradford chief Graham Alexander, should he have been watching.

City, who were humbled 3-0 at Wetherby Road in March and whose record against the Sulphurites is not the best either, are the opposition in Harrogate’s next home league game on September 28.

Weaver continued: “Derbies mean a lot to local people. It means different things to people and different teams.

"Probably the so-called bigger teams think: ‘what do you mean, it’s a derby?’ Well it is geographically, we’re in Yorkshire and we’re proud of what we are and how we’ve come here.”

Weaver’s delight late on Thursday night was understandable and while his opposite number Grant McCann was naturally disappointed by the result - on a night when Rovers could have temporarily moved four points clear at the top of League Two, he was not too downhearted either.

He commented: “Simon, I am sure, will be saying it’s a tremendous performance from his team and they defended well and scored two good goals.

"From my point of view, we dominated the game from start to finish.

"We have started okay (in 2024-25), but this season will have ups and downs and there will be defeats."

As for any talk of Harrogate becoming a bogey team for Rovers and Wetherby Road becoming a cursed venue, McCann was keen to give short shrift to that particular notion.

McCann, whose side were beaten 3-1 in the spa town on January 6, said: “No. You’ll have to ask the players, but I don’t believe in any of that sort of stuff.

"I’ve come here a few times and won with other teams.

"I don’t know why one or two players would think of it like that."