Colchester United 0 Harrogate Town 1: Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver 'overjoyed' after 'scruffy' win

Sam Folarin scored for the third consecutive match to hand the Sulphurites their first League Two win of the season in a game which the home side bossed for long periods.

The 23-year-old forward netted midway through the second half of Saturday’s clash at the JobServe Community Stadium, with that goal coming after the U’s had failed to capitalise on a number of clear opportunities to take the lead.

And, although Weaver recognised that Colchester had their chances, he said he was “overjoyed” with his own players’ efforts.

“I’m really pleased, Weaver said. “We were really up for this one, we knew it was going to be a physical encounter.

“They’ll be disappointed after not taking anything from the game - they were saying that afterwards - but I’m not going to apologise for winning the game. I’m overjoyed.“I love the scruffy away wins, whatever it takes to get a result for the club. I was overjoyed with the efforts of the players.”

Folarin’s goal arrived in the 68th minute of the contest following a mix-up in the Colchester defence.

It came after visiting goalkeeper James Belshaw had made a number of key saves to keep Town on terms, most notably from a Teddy Bishop free-kick that looked destined for the top corner, and a Samson Tovide header, which he pushed onto the cross-bar.

“They [Colchester] started brightly,” Weaver added.

“They had a good crowd behind them, but it is about taking opportunities and we had a man in great form between the sticks, who pulled off a couple of absolute wonder saves.

“And that’s all part of a good team performance, we had a key player on his game.

“We were giving the ball away too much in the first half but I said to them at half-time ‘it’s 0-0, you’ve got a point at the minute, we just have to keep growing together in this shape and if you hang on in there you might have one opportunity’ - and we did.

“And, actually we had further opportunities to put two or three in after that, whilst admittedly having to defend our box very well.”

Saturday’s victory follows on from defeat to Bromley on the opening day, and a 3-3 draw at Accrington Stanley last weekend, leaving Town on four points for the season, and 13th in the League Two standings.