Harrogate Town and Sam Folarin benefiting from player's extra work behind the scenes

The speedy 22-year-old forward started for the first time in two-and-a-half months as the Sulphurites drew 2-2 with Doncaster Rovers on Saturday and was among the Sulphurites’ stand-out performers.

He set up Luke Armstrong to halve the deficit as Town fought back from two goals down for the third match in succession and also put another glorious chance on a plate for Alex Pattison, which his team-mate really ought to have converted to put the hosts in front.

Folarin’s display was his most eye-catching since he caused Salford City all sorts of problems with his pace on debut, all the way back in September.

The former Middlesbrough attacker has been restricted to cameos from the substitutes’ bench of late, however he was handed a start at the weekend having worked hard to make sure that he is physically capable of providing the kind of end product that Weaver is looking for.

“Sam looked electric at times and his part in the first goal was huge for us,” the Harrogate boss reflected.

"He is another one who we are trying to make believe that he has what it takes to really upset teams – and he did.

"It was quite a simple game-plan, play narrow in from the left, run in behind and use that pace because you can see that opposing players are physically shocked by the speed which they are up against once Sam gets going.

"What a threat he is if you get him running into those right areas between centre-backs. Sometimes you think it’s a forlorn moment, the ball will run out and there’s not many other players who are catching some of these balls.

"I think he’s grown in confidence, he feels accepted by the group, by his peers and us. He’s bedded in, got his fitness levels up, he’s had to do some prehab work, more strength work and as a result we are getting a better product out of it all."

Trailing 2-0 to strikes from Aidan Barlow and Luke Molyneux, Folarin helped get Town back into the game when he dispossessed the ponderous Adam Long on the right-hand side of the Doncaster box and then showed good awareness to pick out Armstrong, who forced the ball home at the third attempt.

Tom Eastman then levelled matters with an hour on the clock, with Saturday’s result ensuring that the Sulphurites remain three points clear of the League Two relegation zone.