Harrogate’s Simon Weaver confident Cambridge win could spark revival

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver believes his players have the “strong mindset” needed to avoid relegation from the Football League after enjoying a first league win since September.

Goals from Bryn Morris and on-loan QPR attacker Emmerson Sutton, their first each for the Sulphurites, inspired a 2-1 triumph over high-flying Cambridge, who went into the afternoon on a run of six straight league victories.

It moved Harrogate to within two points of a position of safety and ended a run of 20 league games without a win with Weaver declaring: “We were brilliant in the first half.

“We scored two good goals early on and showed plenty of attacking intent.

“It was exciting to see and I think we’ve been building up to that.

“They got a goal back and, at half-time, we were asking the players to stay on the front foot, but it’s inevitable, with the position they are in, they were going to pour bodies forward, so I’m so pleased that the players showed so much fight in the second half.

“We haven’t had a lot go for us this season, but the group’s mindset is so strong.

“We’ve seen an improvement in that respect in recent weeks.

“They are putting disappointments to bed and staying single-minded and we can get out of this if we stick together.

“I was very proud of every individual out there and, if they continue to fight that hard for this club, then we have a chance.

“But we have to keep producing the same energy levels of the last few games because it’s getting better and better and we have to keep grinding our teeth through every little setback to just get stronger.”

Away boss Neil Harris admitted up to eight of his players were “below par”.

“The result will surprise most people in English football but it shows what the EFL is all about,” Harris said.

“If you play a team that are bottom of the table but plays to the best of their ability and you have six, seven or eight players below par, then you will get beaten.

“That’s the beautiful game in this country.

“They played with flair, freedom and scored two really good goals and, although we got one back, we couldn’t break them down to get another.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose, but we didn’t do enough to win either.

“It wasn’t down to a lack of effort or preparation, but we were lacking in the final third and didn’t create as many chances as we have been doing or carry the same spark.

“What I do know about this group is that we will get a reaction now against Crawley on Tuesday.”