"We know it means a lot to the people of Harrogate": Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver hails derby 'heroes' after memorable League Two win over Bradford City

It was the Sulphurites’ third home win over the Bantams since arriving in the EFL as the hosts made light of their toils this season at Wetherby Road to record a morale-boosting success in front of a record league crowd of 3,905.

Josh March’s first goal in Town colours put Weaver’s side on their way on 21 minutes.

On a day when Harrogate managed the game far better and handled the windy conditions with much more proficiency than City, a second killer goal arrived on 73 minutes when top-scorer George Thomson netted from the spot following a handball from Brad Halliday.

An own goal from Daniel Oyegoke, who turned in Jack Muldoon’s cross, added the gloss six minutes later.

Weaver said: “I’m just delighted for the players. They have been immense all week in training and taking everything we’ve worked on into the game - a game of magnitude.

"It means a lot to us to win these local games and we know it means a lot to the people of Harrogate and I thought you saw a fully committed display and team of heroes for us today.

"We’ve looked at it in training at times to give people an opportunity. The door has been open to give people opportunities as at home, we just haven’t been ripping it up.

"We’ve done great away from home and felt we needed to have a convincing display in front of our own fans and it was good to do it in front of a record attendance.

“We did the ugly side really well. We’ve looked stretched and desperate (before) to search for a goal at home and haven’t quite got the balance right with numbers at the back and been counter-attacked several times.

"I thought we looked solid throughout and right thorough the middle, the numbers and balance was there and we were an attacking threat throughout and all the ingredients to beat a top side.”