Harrogate Town 0 Salford City 1: Simon Weaver bemoans blunt attack as Sulphurites pass up another chance to escape drop zone

Daniel Udoh’s late strike condemned the Sulphurites to a 1-0 home defeat to Salford City on Saturday afternoon, a result which keeps them rooted to the foot of the table.

Victory would have seen the men from Wetherby Road climb out of the relegation places for the first time since December, but they once again failed to capitalise on results elsewhere going their way.

Town got themselves back to within touching distance of safety following two victories in the space of three matches last month, but have not managed to go on and win any of their last four, thus missing the opportunity to take advantage of Barrow and Crawley’s recent struggles.

And Weaver believes that it is his attacking players’ inability to deliver when it matters most that has cost Town - who are the lowest scorers in the entire division - of late.

"We’ve only scored one goal in the last three home games and that was from a set-play – that is what we are dealing with at the minute,” he told BBC Radio York.

“In those two previous games, we probably should have bagged six points on the basis of the positive performances, possession and territory.

"But this is another game where we haven’t scored. We have played attractive football and given license for the players to express themselves, but it is that little bit of spark in the final third that we are trying to find.

"We need to do better in the final third. It is a big part of the game, because we won’t stay in this league if we play well in two thirds of the pitch and then it peters out every attack.

"And it was evident on Saturday that it is hard to break defences down at this level when we are not taking people on, not taking a risk, not taking the handbrake off.”

Udoh’s 85th-minute winner arrived after he was played in behind the Town defence down the Salford left, and was able to send a neat, low finish across Henry Gray and into the bottom corner.

And although it was the visitors who looked the more likely to break the deadlock during an afternoon which saw Harrogate to struggle to create even a single clear-cut chance, Weaver did not feel that there was anything at all between the sides.

“I thought that it was a very tight game, and there was very little between the teams,” he added.

“They are fancied for promotion and we are trying to stay up, but I didn’t feel like there was any level difference.

"Their striker produced a moment of magic, it was a wonderful finish. And we just didn’t have it in us in the final third to produce that moment that we needed to when we were on top for passages of play.”