Town came into the game with a proud 100 per cent winning record at BD8, but were rocked on their heels inside the first minute when Tyreik Wright latched onto Brad Halliday's pass and put the Bantams in front.

Harrogate regrouped, but struggled to carve out clear-cut chances, with the best one coming early in the second half when Harry Lewis impressively denied Luke Armstrong.

Try as they might, Harrogate - boasting a three-match winning league run ahead of the derby, which had seen them score ten times, could not grab a leveller as their recent survival momentum was stalled.

Weaver said: "We were obviously hoping to win the game and lost it, so I am flat from that. It's important we keep the spirits of the players up, I thought they were very resolute with their efforts.

"I thought Luke's effort was just going to creep inside the far post and if we'd come away with that point, we'd have valued it very much.

"I thought the effort was good in terms of the level, but it was just in the final third where we didn't create as many chances as we have been.

"But we go again and dust ourselves down. We have had a lot of football recently and there's a lot more to come.

"Their goal was disappointing. We were fired up and ready to go and within a couple of minutes, they slipped a ball down the sides and we have not defended it well enough. It's as simple as that.

"They did not create much against us and nor did we against them. It was a local derby and a lot at stake for them, having lost the last four and for us, as we want to accumulate as many points as quickly as possible.

"We knew our fans would travel to cheer us on and I am sorry that we have lost this one."

'Sorry' Simon Weaver cites the two reasons why Harrogate Town lost for the first time at Bradford City