Harrogate Town captain Josh Falkingham singled out after 'heroic' performance against Hartlepool United

The Sulphurites beat fellow strugglers Hartlepool United 2-1 at Wetherby Road on Saturday lunchtime to end a sequence of results which had seen them lose seven of their previous eight League Two matches.

Restored to the starting line-up following 45 minutes from the substitutes’ bench at Colchester United last weekend, 32-year-old Falkingham made a real difference in the centre of the park, organising those around him and driving his team-mates on to a much-needed three-point haul.

His work in possession of the ball was equally as crucial. He made 40 passes over the course of the afternoon – only Warren Burrell (51) made more – and finished up with a pass-completion rate of 70 percent, a figure higher than anyone else in Harrogate colours.

Injury problems have meant that the former Leeds United midfielder had only managed one League Two start this term prior to Saturday, and his presence unquestionably helped Town deliver what was, for 70-odd minutes at least, one of their better passing performances of the season to date.

And it wasn’t just Weaver who was impressed, with his skipper also named the match sponsors’ man-of-the-match.

"The captain was heroic, before the game, during the game, at half-time. He’s a massive presence,” Harrogate’s manager said.

“I shouldn’t really specify one player above the rest, but the captain was brilliant. He was a vocal presence and a welcome addition to the team and he drove people with him, and that’s what was needed.

"He knows what it means, as a back-room staff – and basically he is part of that – to be performing at this level, and we don’t want to let that go easily.

"He knows what it takes to win at Wembley, he knows what it takes to win away at any Conference North team and he knows what it’s like to lose when we’ve lost with a lack of intensity. And, he’s wounded as I am and as wounded as Paul Thirlwell is when it doesn’t go our way.”

Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon were the men on target for Town against Pools, those first-half goals securing a win which lifts the Sulphurites two places to 20th in the table.