Simon Weaver delighted to see Harrogate fight back with battling draw at Swindon

Posted Sunday, October 06, 2024 by PA

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver was delighted with the way his team bounced back after their midweek mauling to pick up a valuable point in a 0-0 draw at Swindon.

He said his side dug in after the 5-1 home defeat to MK Dons to prove their grit.

Following a game of few chances at the County Ground, he said: “I am pleased with the point. It could have been three but we showed good resolve and it was a good response from the other night.

“I knew we would get that – we have honest lads, we just had a few aberrations the other night and moments of madness.

“So to travel all the way here and dig in like we did just showed the lads want to do it right.

“People were putting the miles in. That’s what we wanted more than anything.”

Weaver said the performance represented what he wanted his team to be about.

He said: “We’re a team and we were hurt the other night – I was hurt.

“And I thought that today was a fair reflection of the personality of the group. I couldn’t ask for any more.”

Boos had echoed around the County Ground after Swindon’s lowest crowd of the season saw them eke out the dreariest of draws.

Just 6,333 fans saw the strugglers, with just one win all season, dominate possession but create very little.

In the best chance of the match, away keeper James Belshaw went full length to claw away Joel Cotterill’s rising strike from outside the box.

At the other end, Jack Muldoon went wide with his near-post header from Matthew Foulds’ tempting cross.

Just before half-time Town looked certain to score when Will Wright nodded a corner back across the goal line but somehow the visitors scrambled clear with Miguel Freckleton lurking.

After the break home sub Paul Glatzel surged through on goal but his fierce shot was blocked by a back-tracking defender.

Away sub Sam Folarin was put through but with several Robins defenders in hot pursuit only managed the weakest of shots before George Cox glanced wide at the other end.

Robins boss Mark Kennedy said of the booing: “We have inherited a substantial period of hurt at the club and when you are not winning games that is easy to grow.

“I get it. The irony is Harrogate get clapped off, we get booed off but we both get a point.

“We need to turn draws into wins.

“When I look back on the season so far, we’ve drawn 50 per cent of our games. That’s a lot.

“I really feel for the younger players so while I get it and understand it, it’s a very, very difficult environment to play in those situations, that is not going to help those guys.”