Defiant Weaver insists struggling Harrogate Town are ‘evolving’

Town’s new signings fired blanks again on Saturday as the club went an eighth match without a victory.

The Wetherby Roaders have suffered 13 defeats in the Vanarama Conference North this season, one fewer than throughout the whole of the 2013/14 campaign last year. Saturday’s away defeat was Town’s ninth on the road and means the club has the third worst record on the road in the whole league.

The worrying form has left Town battling the sides at the bottom of the league, and Weaver admitted the search for a win had reached a critical point.

Weaver said: “There’s probably 10 or 11 clubs that are getting sucked into it [the relegation mix]. We are no different to them. It’s a really tough league. When you’re on a bad run you get sucked into it quite quickly.

“But you can’t control other games and other results, you can only focus on yourselves.

“We can’t be happy with fifth from bottom and we have had a few disappointments with individuals, but we are improving the team. We are learning so much from this and changing from the team that started.

“Now we are evolving into a more athletic team.”

Play-off hunting Boston United are the visitors to the CNG Stadium on Saturday, and Weaver was wary of the threat Dennis Greene’s men will provide. Memories of last season’s 4-0 victory over Boston United at the CNG Stadium remain fresh in the memory for many, in a match that saw the visitors end with only seven players. And a repeat victory is top priority for the boss.

Weaver added: “They are having a decent season, and we are where we are. We want to be better, so we are after points. It’s not about what happened last year, it’s about the now.

“We are doing all we can.”

Jordan Thewlis and Jack Emmett impressed the boss in training on Tuesday and could start. Leigh Franks is a doubt with a hamstring injury.

Last season’s topscorer Ashley Worsfold trained with the squad ahead of Saturday’s defeat at Brackley. But supporters’ hopes he return soon has been dealt a blow by Weaver, who said the striker is six weeks away.

“I have to put him first ahead of our results. I care for him,” Weaver added. “Whilst we are suffering, the lad has been through a lot of pain this year. We have to nurse him back.”