James Daly hailed as Harrogate Town's 'shining light' following man-of-the-match display against Lincoln City
Simon Weaver was full of praise for James Daly following his man-of-the-match display during Harrogate Town’s Carabao Cup success at Lincoln City.
A summer 2023 signing from Woking, the 24-year-old’s first season at Wetherby Road didn’t exactly go to plan, with a lack of first-team minutes leading to him heading out on loan with National League Aldershot in February.
But Daly has hit the ground running this term, impressing in an unfamiliar left-back role during the Sulphurites’ opening-day defeat to Bromley before popping up with his team’s second goal in their 2-1 win over the Imps.
Tuesday saw the former Crystal Palace trainee, who is a winger by trade, deployed as a centre forward, and Harrogate’s manager was more than satisfied with what he saw.
"I think he's been a shining light in pre-season and he's taken it into the season,” Weaver said.
"He was an absolute handful, a threat throughout the game.
"It’s work ethic, just exactly what we want to see at Harrogate Town.
"I thought people might think I've gone bonkers, you know, playing him left-back then playing him up front, but you've just got to go with your instincts.”
Daly found the net on 61 minutes, slotting a left-footed finish beyond the stranded Zach Jeacock from just outside the box after Zico Asare had forced an error from Lincoln defender Dom Jefferies.
That goal came after Sam Folarin had broken the deadlock shortly after half-time, applying a a close-range finish to Ellis Taylor’s excellent cross.
Folarin had spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to break the deadlock late in the first period when he somehow failed to finish off an inviting Daly delivery, but Weaver said that he was only really interested in how the former Middlesbrough forward reacted to that miss.
"He’s not the first striker to miss a chance, is he,” he added.
"It's about being in the right position and, as I said to him at half-time, the first step is you being bang in between the posts.
"Your strike partner has put a delightful ball in and Sam knows he should have scored, but then he doesn't need me to hammer him for it.
"It's about putting yourself in that situation again and next time he has banged it in, so it’s a great reaction.”