Harrogate Town 0 Forest Green Rovers 1: Sulphurites have played worse and won, insists Simon Weaver

Harrogate Town defender Toby Sims wins a header during Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Forest Green Rovers. Picture: Paul Thompson/Pro Sports Images

Matt Stevens’ 46th-minute header following a mistake by Warren Burrell proved sufficient to seal a 1-0 win for the Gloucestershire outfit, condemning the Sulphurites to their first defeat in three outings this term.

But Weaver doesn’t believe there was too much wrong with the performance that his players served up at Wetherby Road.

"We move on quickly because the manner of the performance was pretty good,” the Town boss reflected.

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver watches on from his technical area.

"I’ve looked back at the video and, to be honest, I thought we played better than I recalled in the immediate aftermath of the game. I thought that we looked an organised set-up, and individuals were on it

“They have just come down from League One, have Forest Green, they have got some good players, but in no way did they cut us open.

"We probably created more chances than in the first game of the season, which we won, and we conceded fewer chances too, but you end up being on the losing side sometimes.

"It was a very tight game and tight games can go either way. We had one slip-up and we got punished. As long as it’s not a performance where we are well short, there is no need to rip up the game-plan at all.”

On precisely where his side went wrong during what was their first League Two outing at home this season, Weaver added: “We just didn’t quite do enough in that final third.

"The killer edge, end product, that final ball, there was just a little bit missing. It wasn’t a case of us being outclassed at all.

"We slipped up on one occasion and they didn’t. One ball into the channel that we’ve not dealt with and it has cost us.”

Stevens’ winner arrived just seconds after the interval when Town centre-half Burrell misjudged a hopeful punt out of defence, allowing Tyrese Omotoye to cut in off the right wing and into the home box, where his cross-cum-shot was glanced home by his strike partner.

Harrogate return to League Two action on Tuesday evening when they visit Tranmere Rovers, 7.45pm kick-off.