Harrogate Town showed 'all different sides' of their game during Barrow AFC success
Simon Weaver said that Harrogate Town had to show “all different sides” of their game during Tuesday night’s 1-0 home success over Barrow.
The Sulphurites extended their unbeaten start to their 2025/26 League Two campaign courtesy of a largely impressive performance on home soil.
They shaded the opening exchanges, and went on to boss proceedings either side of the interval after Shawn McCoulsky’s 29th-minute-opener, playing some excellent football and coming within a couple of inches of doubling their lead on three separate occasions.
But, as the second half progressed, Barrow began to exert more and more pressure of their own, forcing Town to drop deeper and deeper and work incredibly hard to protect their slender advantage.
And Weaver credited his players for finding a way to get the job done after that shift of momentum.
"The first hour of the game, we looked good in possession, we were really strong,” he said.
"We used the ball well. Credit to the players, they felt confident and looked confident in possession and we did cause Barrow problems and the game was there to be put to bed.
"We couldn’t quite add to the tally, we were guilty of that, and of course, there was bound to be a throwing of everything at us because the margin was so small.
"Barrow had a real go, and we had to show a different side then, keeping the clean-sheet, showing strength in the box in the latter stages. So there were all different sides shown tonight – and it was needed.
"You have to show willingness to win the first ball, win the second ball. That is called ‘earning the right’ and we did that. It’s not going to be relentless pressure for the whole of the game. We all want it to be and it might have been if we’d capitalised on chances, but they were bound to have a go at some point, but we stood firm.”
Tuesday’s victory was Town’s second in four matches so far this term and leaves them eighth in the table with eight points to their name.