Harrogate Town 'can't be too downhearted' after 'brave' display against top-of-the-table Leyton Orient

Early goals from Paul Smyth and George Moncur saw the visitors ease into a 2-0 lead at Wetherby Road without really having to get out of second gear.

And, aside from a brief spell early in the second period where Town threatened to pull a goal back, Richie Wellens’ table-toppers looked comfortable and in control of proceedings as they cruised to a 13th victory of the campaign.

But Weaver was happy with how his players responded to falling behind and their willingness to try and pass the ball, while going on say that he felt the struggling Sulphurites were always in the game.

“By no means were we dominated from start to finish,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“We’re obviously bitterly disappointed to lose a game that I think we were right in, but credit to the players at 2-0 because they kept believing. We always believed, we said at half-time ‘we’re still in, get the next goal’ - and we very nearly did.

“We had some momentum, we were on top, the crowd got right behind us and there was a great last-ditch clearance off the line to deny Danny Grant a goal. If that goes in, it’s a different game because Orient are then under pressure.

“After that, the momentum went, they managed the game very well and we started to run out of steam. But I don’t think you can say they stopped us from playing because we played some great stuff. Between the boxes over the 90 minutes we looked very competitive.

"Credit to Leyton Orient, they played nice football, but we played football as nice as them, without a doubt. We can’t be too downhearted about the style of play because that isn’t why we lost the game. We tried to pass and probe and the lads showed a lot of bravery on the ball, which is pleasing.”

Saturday’s defeat was Town’s 11th in 18 league outings this term and keeps them 21st in the table, just a point above the relegation zone.