Pragmatic Harrogate Town 'learning lessons' and starting to progress, says Simon Weaver

The Sulphurites gave a decent account of themselves on Tuesday evening, defending resolutely throughout, while asking some questions of the away defence - particularly late on when they seized the ascendancy.

In the end, it took a fine 20-yard free-kick from Ruari Paton to separate the teams as, for all their possession during the middle part of the game, Darren Moore's Valiants struggled to prise open the home defence.

That display, combined with stubborn if unspectacular recent showings on the road at Swindon and Carlisle, plus a 1-0 home win over Newport County, suggest that Town are improving in terms of making themselves more difficult to beat - and Weaver says that he is encouraged by what he has seen.

"I'm satisfied with our current progress," he said. "We have had to learn harsh lessons, but I think that we are learning and getting better.

"On Tuesday night, we had to do a lot of digging in because Port Vale are a brilliant team for this level. The depth of their squad is out of this world for this level and they showed their quality on a good pitch.

"When they shift the ball about the pitch with tremendous conviction, they show why they are probably going to win the league. But, I thought that we looked a well-organised outfit.

"We had to have a game-plan that was sticking in there as a team and staying in the game, which we did. We wanted to be in the game and it was only a free-kick that divided us. You have to give credit, it's a top finish. That gets shown time and again on Match of the Day if it's in the Premier League, so fair play to the lad, it's a great moment of quality.

"It's about getting that balance. You want to have a bit of a go in an aggressive fashion and to open up a bit, but at the same time, when we did that in an uncoordinated way, we got picked off and they nearly doubled their lead. That could easily have happened."

Better defensively since being thrashed 5-1 at home by MK Dons earlier this month, Town have hardly set the world alight with their attacking play, scoring just the two goals in their last four league matches.

But, while Weaver appreciates that supporters doubtless wish for a return to the swashbuckling, free-flowing football that earned them two promotions in the space of three seasons during their non-league days, he insists that a more pragmatic approach is required in League Two.

"We want to be a high-pressing team,” he added. "We want to be on the front foot as much as possible, however, we know where we're at and we have to be realistic.

"People might not understand that because of what we've done in Conference North and in the National League, but this is a different stratosphere when you're up against teams like Port Vale.

"On Tuesday, we needed to stay in the game, to narrow the passing lanes and not be too open.

"I wanted to win the game or to come away with something from the game, but I didn't want to be picking up the pieces before Notts County away after a 5-0 or 6-0 job. I didn't want a bloody nose.

"Against a top-end club like Port Vale with top-end League One players in their squad, we've tried an approach, and to say it's only a free-kick that's separated us, I can't have any regrets about the lads' efforts or our approach tactically. We have had a real go."

Town, who dropped two places to 16th in the table following their midweek loss, return to action this Saturday when they travel to third-placed Notts County for a 3pm kick-off.