Anthony O'Connor's half-time withdrawal at Colchester United was tactical, says Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver
Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver says the decision to replace centre-half Anthony O’Connor during the half-time interval of Saturday’s defeat at Colchester United was a tactical one.
Having taken a third-minute lead through Stephen Duke-McKenna, the Sulphurites conspired to concede three times in the space of just over half an hour as Harry Anderson netted a quickfire hat-trick.
O’Connor, 32, might feel that he could have done better in the lead up to United’s 14th-minute equaliser when the ball dropped kindly for Anderson to fire home an instinctive first-time strike after his initial header had been blocked.
But, a number of the Irishman’s team-mates were equally as culpable for Colchester’s second and third goals of the afternoon.
The U’s took the lead on 21 minutes after Anderson escaped Duke-McKenna and got across the stretching Warren Burrell to finish clinically from Jack Payne’s right-wing cutback.
And the hosts’ hat-trick hero then ran off the back of Bobby Faulkner before sliding in to convert Arthur Read’s low cross from the left to make it 3-1 in first-half stoppage time.
And Weaver has confirmed that O’Connor’s replacement by Zico Asare – a right-back by trade – and the reshuffle that followed was simply in an attempt to combat the running power of Colchester striker Micah Mbick through the middle of the pitch.
"The pace of Bobby and Warren was needed against their centre-forward,” the Harrogate chief told BBC Radio York.
"No disrespect to Anthony, but if we were going to try to press a little bit higher, there was going to be space in behind.
"We were up against a centre-forward who was above the level today. Fair play to him, he burned us off several times in the first half, so I had to.
"I either just look after feelings and keep everything the same but know that the outcome probably won't turn, or roll the dice and make a decision at half-time.
"It's probably harsh on one person, but I tried to still fight the fight. I didn't want to just drop in and defend for the second half. I wanted us to press their centre-halves and be aggressive with it. I didn't want to go negative and it be a case of damage limitation."
Saturday’s defeat was Town’s third in succession following last weekend’s 3-2 loss at Fleetwood and their 2-1 home reverse at the hands of Crewe.
It was also the third game in a row in which they have taken an early lead, only to go on and finish up empty-handed.
That result sees the Sulphurites drop to 19th place in the League Two standings, where they now sit just five points clear of the relegation zone.