Simon Weaver hails Harrogate’s ‘fighting spirit’ after latest comeback

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver hailed his players’ “fighting spirit” after they came back from two goals down to snatch a point for a third successive game.

Second-half goals by Luke Armstrong and Tom Eastman secured Harrogate their latest 2-2 draw, cancelling out efforts from Doncaster duo Aidan Barlow and Luke Molyneux, as the hosts stayed three points clear of the League Two relegation zone.

With Harrogate battling back in the same manner as they did against AFC Wimbledon and Leyton Orient, Weaver said: “I have to give credit to the players for showing their fighting spirit in abundance and nobody could ever question the camaraderie in the camp.

“We’ve got to stop giving ourselves mountains to climb, but it was another spirited response and we had good opportunities to win the game.

“There was quite a bit at stake in the game and it can be difficult to go for the jugular in that situation at 0-0 and perhaps it’s a bit easier when you’re 2-0 down in that respect. But we have to believe in ourselves earlier in games and go for it when we can.

“With the adrenalin surrounding the occasion, we were treating the ball a bit like a hot potato and that gave Doncaster the belief to put their foot on the ball and play.”

Armstrong’s goal was his 15th of the season, whilst on-loan centre-back Eastman netted for the first time in Harrogate colours following his January loan move from Colchester.

Weaver added: “He’s done immensely well for the team and is a big presence in our box. He also got the goal to pull us back level and has been an excellent signing.”

The visitors picked up their first point in five matches, but frustrated fans called for the dismissal of manager Danny Schofield, with Rovers having won just one of their last 12 matches.

Schofield bemoaned the manner in which his team buckled when Harrogate took a more direct approach to goal, saying: “Rather than looking at it as a good away point, we’re leaving disappointed and frustrated because of the manner in which we conceded the two goals.

“The goals we scored were excellent and we were in control, but couldn’t deal with how they went more direct. The second half was a scrap and a battle and in key moments we fell short.

“Balls were coming into our box from deeper areas and we weren’t getting first contacts to get them away from our goal. We also lost a lot of second balls in the middle of the pitch, which wasn’t the case in the first half.

“But we had a lot of young players on the pitch and I felt the lads gave everything and were playing to their level and capabilities.

“They were down at the end of the game but they fought for each other and we just have to lift them now for the next game against Stevenage.”