Simon Weaver happy with Harrogate’s in-form strikers after Accrington thriller

Posted Sunday, August 18, 2024 by PA

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver praised his front two as James Daly and Sam Folarin both found the net again in their thrilling 3-3 draw at Accrington in League Two.

Daly, who scored in the Carabao Cup win at Lincoln on Tuesday, headed Harrogate into their first of two leads, only for his and Ellis Taylor’s goals to be cancelled out by Tyler Walton and Jimmy Knowles.

Kelsey Mooney then put Accrington ahead in the 62nd minute, but Folarin – who also netted at Lincoln – struck an equaliser deep into stoppage time to earn Harrogate their first point of the campaign.

Weaver said: “I am delighted we got a point at the end. It was a difficult afternoon, having started so brightly.

“It was good in terms of the resilience of the group, it would have been easy just to let it go and come away with nothing, and we would have taken a point at the start, but we know we need to keep getting better.

“It’s early days, it’s the second league game of the season and the pleasing aspect is that our two strikers have scored two goals apiece in the last two games.

“People want strikers in but I am glad to have the ones we have with two each so far.

“We play two up front, we try and go for teams, but I would like us to be more aggressive. We are a work in progress, it’s still new.”

Accrington manager John Doolan thought his side were heading for their first win of the campaign.

“The players are deflated but it was a very good second-half performance and it warranted three points but they stuck at it and we didn’t deal with the ball into the box,” he said.

“We have to be better than that but it was a young, different back four, and I have picked them up in the dressing room as I am proud of them for the second half.

“I spoke at half-time about the belief and togetherness and it showed after the break. The first half was scrappy, the final ball into the box was wanting, but we had a chat at half-time about doing the basics right, playing the way we want them to play and they delivered.

“To score the goals we did to go in front showed massive character. Everyone was desperate for Kelsey and Jimmy to score and it will do their confidence the world of good. It was the first point of many.”