Carlisle United 2 Harrogate Town 0: Sulphurites have played worse and won, says Simon Weaver

The League Two Sulphurites exited the EFL Trophy at the group stage following a 2-0 loss up in Cumbria, Jordan Gibson netting a goal in each half for the home team.

Weaver blamed a failure to take their chances in front of goal for Town’s defeat, though he felt that they actually performed better than they have done in some of the matches they’ve won away from home in recent weeks.

“We probably played better tonight than in numerous away games where we've won this season,” he said.

"You've got to give Carlisle credit. They had a couple of chances, they stuck them away, we had plenty of chances and didn't score.

"But there's plenty of positives. Across the back we looked solid. I thought between the boxes we were outstanding at times. We were just shifting the ball so well and then we got to the final third and we let ourselves down by not taking chances when they came.

“But this is a good League One team that fielded its strongest 11, which they announced before the game, so I think we've got to take a lot of credit because, you know, we have, in a large part, dominated the game.”

On what his players needed to better as an attacking force, Weaver added: “For the large part of the game, it was the final pass, or just not taking the shot on.

"But, the last 10 minutes, we had a few good chances. It was just that execution, the finishing.

"We've had more opportunities tonight to hit the back of the net and we haven't managed it.”

Town made a bright start to their EFL Trophy campaign, beating a Nottingham Forest Under-21s side featuring England international Callum Hudson-Odoi 2-1 at Wetherby Road.

They then lost 5-3 on home turf to League Two rivals Accrington Stanley, leaving them in a position where they needed to better Forest’s result in the final round of Group C fixtures to secure their progress to the competition’s knock-out stage.

And Weaver admitted that he was frustrated to see his team fall at the first hurdle.

“We're disappointed, without a doubt,” he added. “We've lost out on £10,000 by not winning the game, even if we hadn’t have got into the next round, so that hits home straight away.

"And also, the bigger picture, if you go on a good run, of course we could have ended up with Wembley.”

Town return to League Two action on Saturday when they entertain Swindon at Wetherby Road, 3pm kick-off.