MK Dons 2 Harrogate Town 1: 'Mixed emotions' for Simon Weaver after last-gasp 'sucker punch'


Substitute Zico Asare’s dramatic stoppage-time strike appeared to have salvaged a point for the struggling Sulphurites, only for them to concede a second goal almost straight from the restart.
And so, just as was the case at Doncaster Rovers three days earlier when James Belshaw’s late error gifted the home side all three points, Simon Weaver’s men missed out on what would have been a crucial and well-deserved result in their quest for League Two survival.
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Hide AdBut, their manager wasn’t too downbeat after the full-time whistle and said he was able to take plenty of heart from what he described as a “dominant” second-half showing.


"I have mixed emotions," Weaver said. "I'm disappointed to make that long journey home with nothing in the bag, but again, it's our fifth performance on the trot where we do look a good outfit.
"It's a sucker punch right at the death and I'm disappointed for the players. They're a little bit dejected because they put every effort in. They played some scintillating football.
"We were totally dominant, it's as simple as that. I think MK Dons had a two-minute spell out of 50 minutes of the second half. Twenty-three shots on goal inside the 18-yard box suggests that we were dominant.
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Hide Ad"It was a torrent of attacks from our team against a team that normally dominates the opposition. There was real attacking energy and a great passing display. It was just [missing] that little bit of cutting edge."


Town fell behind after 27 minutes of Tuesday night's contest when Ellis Taylor's poor clearance enabled the Dons to launch an attack deep in Harrogate territory.
Having received the ball from Dan Crowley, on-loan Newcastle United midfielder Joe White skipped past Bryn Morris all too easily, then advanced into the penalty area before smashing a powerful finish beyond the dive of Belshaw.
Having created a couple of half-chances during the opening period, the Sulphurites went on to boss the second, engineering numerous promising attacking opportunities.
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Hide AdToby Sims hit a post and Asare missed a one-on-one, while Josh March was also presented with a couple of decent sights of goal.
And that pressure eventually paid off in stoppage time. Taylor's right-wing corner was cleared to the edge of the box where Asare flicked the ball into the air with his first touch then unleashed a sweetly-struck volley, which took a deflection on it's way past Craig MacGillivray.
But, straight from kick-off, the hosts launched the ball forwards and Callum Hendry was able to tee up Alex Gilbey to laser a stunning 25-yard effort into the top corner of Belshaw's net.
Assessing that dramatic finale, Weaver added: "Zico knocked one in the top corner and there were fantastic celebrations, but as a manager, you're wary and thinking 'don't go gloves up, just remain the same'."
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Hide Ad"But, to be honest, having watched the goal back, it is just one of those things. It has fallen to Gilbey and it's a brilliant finish, credit to him."
Results elsewhere mean that 20th-placed Harrogate remain eight points clear of the relegation zone despite Tuesday night’s defeat.
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