Simon Weaver willing to 'take flak' after getting it wrong in Harrogate Town's 4-1 League Two reverse as Sulphurites' form 'hits the buffers a bit'

HARROGATE TOWN manager Simon Weaver said he is willing to ‘take flak’ after admitting that he got his team selection wrong in his side’s very poor 4-1 home reverse to Newport County - as the play-off chasing Sulphurites suffered a second hugely disappointing League Two setback at Wetherby Road in the space of four days.

After Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Walsall, Weaver elected to rest the club’s two top-scorers in George Thomson and Jack Muldoon, but it backfired badly on the night.

Thomson came on in the 51st minute and grabbed a consolation for Town with his tenth league goal of the campaign on an occasion when he was named as man-of-the-match despite being on the pitch for less than 45 minutes.

But unfortunately, the damage was done earlier. Goals from Will Evans (pen), a brace from Offrande Zanzala and strike from substitute Seb Palmer-Houlden gave County, now up to 10th, a richly deserved win as Town suffered a ninth home loss this term. They are now in 12th.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver, whose side were heavily beaten 4-1 at home in League Two by Newport County on Tuesday night.

Weaver, who admits his side have ‘hit the buffers a bit’ after three losses in their past four winless matches, said: “We were well short of the standards we’ve been trying to maintain over recent months.

"We didn’t show any of the facets that have been showing up well. We got off to a poor start and didn’t set the tempo.

“I can blame myself for the team I picked. I felt a few needed a bit of a rest and wanted to bring more energy in, but we looked lightweight. We deserved the result.

"I wasn’t too disheartened on Saturday because while we lost the game, it was a team who resembled how we have been playing. We were in the ascendancy for the majority of the game but toothless in the final third.

“We looked to reinvigorate that with energy, but it didn’t look right - right from the off. We looked out of sync.

“We were up against the same shape. We worked hard to prepare players, but unfortunately, we fell well short.

"I don’t want to talk about individuals because emotions are high and we really care about getting good results and hitting an upward curve. But we’ve hit the buffers a bit.

"Confidence was short, but I am not in the business of throwing people under the bus.

"I will take flak on team selection as we didn’t get the desired outcome.”