Harrogate Town 0 Barrow AFC 1: Simon Weaver questions Sulphurites' 'bottle' after another home defeat

The Sulphurites went down 1-0 at Wetherby Road, Neo Ecclestone’s 74th-minute header from a right-wing corner condemning them to a third loss in as many outings on their own turf this season.

What is even more concerning is the lack of attacking intent and inability to ask any real questions of their opponents that was once again evident, with Town managing just the one shot on target until the dying minutes of the contest.

“We were really poor,” Weaver said. “I thought it was an awful game to watch and I can only apologise to the fans.

“I thought that we were good for the last six minutes, but for the first 84, we served up a lot of dross.

"We thought we'd prepared, and this is where I've come up short, I thought we'd prepared in a thorough way where we could hurt Barrow.

“But we didn't show it, we didn't show up until the latter part when it's all but lost, and that's when the psychological handbrake came off a bit and then the crowd were right behind us.

"We lost out to a particularly poor goal. I’m disappointed and feel like we have let people down. I expected a lot more from our team. We didn’t excite, we didn’t pass the ball.”

Saturday’s loss means that in three home fixtures this term, Town have not only suffered three defeats, but conceded eight goals without scoring even once.

Yet, just as was the case last season when they performed better on their travels, the Sulphurites are unbeaten away from Wetherby Road having beaten League One Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup and Colchester United, while drawing with Accrington Stanley.

And that inability to do the business on their own patch is evidently causing Weaver, who rarely questions his players’ character in public, huge frustration.

He added: “Since we have been in the Football League, we haven’t performed well enough as a home team and we have to show that, from week to week, we can produce repeat performances.

"We said in the changing room, we are desperate to have those National League days back where we come out with a bang and really get the opposition on the back foot.

"We bottled it, in my opinion, today, because we've earned the right after four points in two games to have a real go at Barrow at home in front of our home supporters and we've fallen well short.

“Playing two up front, I expected a lot more from us and a lot more excitement for the fans, but I was wrong.

"People have to improve and not just be wanting the ball when we've got 70 fans away from home, but want the ball here, when they've turned up for you in their droves. I feel disappointed and a bit flattened by it.”

Saturday’s loss sees Harrogate drop to 15th in the National League standings where they sit with four points to their name from four matches.