Harrogate Town are missing a 'clinical' edge at the back and must learn from high-flying Leyton Orient

Having looked reasonably solid at the back but struggled for goals during the early months of 2022/23, the Sulphurites are now passing the ball better and doing the business in the final third.

They are however starting to leak goals, conceding 11 times in their last four League Two outings having shipped just 18 in the previous 14.

It is nine league matches since Town last kept a clean-sheet and recent clashes with Wimbledon, Carlisle and Leyton Orient have seen them undone at set-pieces and struggle to defend balls into the box.

Thus, while Weaver is adamant that his players are improving in terms of the football they are playing, he concedes that they have to become “brutal” as a defensive unit.

He said: “Of course, it is easy for people to say ‘oh, another defeat, they’ve lost against Orient, so they’re all rubbish’. But they’re not, they are a good group and they continue to impress with their attitude and we have just got to be more clinical with the decision-making when we are defending.

"We don’t help ourselves in certain moments. Confidence is part of it, that awareness of where we are in the league, but it’s important that we’re not freezing at moments inside our box. It’s about doing our jobs and we have got to be brutal about it.

"Our players will get there, it’s a work in progress. We have to play and continue to pass the ball, but we have to emerge and try and become a better team with respect to defending a free-kick or a corner.

"The last few games, it is obvious to me, and I’m sure to the supporters, that there have been moments where we needed to be a bit more thuggish, if you like, and make sure that it’s a case of ‘not today’.

"We need to be more stubborn and we are working on it and will continue to work on it.”

Weaver believes that Town can learn plenty from the way high-flying Orient go about their defensive duties, having seen first-hand just how effective a unit they are during Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Wetherby Road.

Richie Wellens’ men currently sit top of the table and boast the division’s best defensive record having shipped just 11 goals this term.

"Leyton Orient are top because of their back-line. As much as they play nice football, they keep clean-sheets and they’re very resolute,” he added.

"Their full-backs are nice and narrow and the number of times they covered across and made last-ditch tackles was top notch. They met balls into the box with a Leyton Orient foot or a leg or made a block, that’s why they are top of the league.

"Sometimes you have to give credit to the level of defending and Orient proved a hard nut to crack.

"In games where they might not be at their best or are up against tricky opposition or a side like us who were still probing and asking questions, they are good decision-makers at the back and that saw them through.”

Saturday’s loss leaves Town 21st in the table and just one point above the relegation zone.