Harrogate Town 1 Notts County 3: Score-line could have been 'completely different', insists Simon Weaver

The Sulphurites suffered a first defeat in 11 home matches when they lost out 3-1 at Wetherby Road on Saturday afternoon.

With their League Two status already secured, there was little riding on the game as far as the hosts were concerned, though there was nothing about their display to suggest that they were treating it as a dead rubber.

And although Jack Muldoon did score one superb goal, Town failed to finish off a host of other clear scoring opportunities and were eventually undone by a couple of clinical bits of play by their promotion-chasing visitors.

“On another day it is a completely different score-line, but fair play to Notts County,” Weaver said. "They took their chances and we didn't, it's as simple as that.

"I thought that we should have taken more of the goal-scoring chances that came our way. We had three or four before we actually conceded, which was galling at the time.

"I thought that they looked open to be honest, but then any team kicks on when they score a goal and they showed their qualities as well. They were very good in possession.

"But, there are a lot of plus points and we won’t dwell on this. We know that we are heading in the right direction.”

After Tom Cursons and Josh March had both gone extremely close to opening the scoring and Jack Muldoon had seen a deflected cross cleared off the goal-line by former Harrogate defender Rod McDonald, Town fell behind in the 33rd minute.

George Abbott and David McGoldrick linked up nicely, the latter seeing an effort blocked before the former followed up to beat James Belshaw with a first-time finish.

The Sulphurites were however back on terms within four minutes. Belshaw sent a raking pass over the top of the County defence and picked out the intelligent run of Muldoon, who chested the ball down, flicked it over the head of Jodi Jones and then prodded past Alex Bass.

But, Notts re-took the lead just five minutes into the second period when Conor Grant followed up from close range after Belshaw had made a superb reaction stop to deny Alassana Jatta.

March came close to levelling matters with a rising effort which just cleared the cross-bar, though the Magpies added a third in the 76th-minute.

Kellan Gordon’s right-wing centre picked out Grant inside the home box, and he managed to force a deflected strike beyond Belshaw at his near post.

Muldoon thought he had trimmed the deficit and set up a grandstand finale late on, however his header was chalked off for offside and Notts were able to close the game out.

"We scored a second, only for it to be ruled out for offside, but I think that if that stands, it’s a different complexion,” Weaver added.

"If there’s just one goal in it, they perhaps become a little bit more tense because of their situation in the league and their need for the three points.

"It’s a different vibe for them. They’re not as comfortable in possession under pressure and it could have been altogether different.”

Saturday’s defeat sees Town drop one place in the League Two standings to 20th position.