Simon Weaver 'excited' by Harrogate Town's 'hunger' during demolition of Scunthorpe United

Simon Weaver was understandably delighted by his side’s attacking performance as they smashed six past sorry Scunthorpe United on Saturday afternoon.
Jack Diamond celebrates after putting Harrogate Town 3-0 up at home to Scunthorpe United. Pictures: Matt KirkhamJack Diamond celebrates after putting Harrogate Town 3-0 up at home to Scunthorpe United. Pictures: Matt Kirkham
Jack Diamond celebrates after putting Harrogate Town 3-0 up at home to Scunthorpe United. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The Sulphurites netted five times without reply in the first half, racking up their biggest victory since they were promoted to the Football League.

But as irresistible as high-flying Town were going forward, it was the “hunger” in their approach and how they did the “nitty-gritty” side of things so effectively that really caught Weaver’s eye.

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“The lads played out of their skins,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser following his team's 6-1 success at Wetherby Road.

Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver.Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver.
Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver.

“It was so exciting when we went through the gears in the first half and during the last 10 minutes. The pace in the team, the passing sequences and the goals were pleasing, but there was such honesty about that performance.

“The defender in me was so pleased that we did the nitty-gritty side of the game so well.

“Luke [Armstrong] was massive for us up there, but when he didn’t win the first ball, we were there on the second ball - I’d love to see the stats on how many second balls we won. And that takes takes discipline in terms of the shape, but also hunger and appetite - and we looked hungry.

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“That caused, I think, the second, third and fourth goals where we counter-attacked and did so much damage.”

Jack Muldoon opened the scoring on eight minutes, nodding in after Ryan Fallowfield’s header bounced back off the underside of the cross-bar.

Muldoon then played Alex Pattison through on goal to slot home number two, before Jack Diamond’s low strike from 20 yards out made it 3-0 on 18 minutes.

Pattison converted Diamond’s right-wing centre for 4-0 after half an hour, Muldoon taking the home tally to five in first-half stoppage time with a clever header from Pattison’s cross.

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Harry Davis pulled one back for bottom-of-the-table Scunthorpe in the 79th-minute, though Harrogate’s five-goal cushion was resorted soon afterwards when substitute Danilo Orsi converted from the penalty spot.

With the game already over as a contest, Town were never going to be able to sustain the level of performance which they delivered during the opening 45 when they came out after the interval, but Weaver was happy to see them finish with a flourish.

“How we fished was pleasing, because it was drifting a bit and it was getting a bit annoying,” he added.

“But it’s human nature at 5-0 to think ‘as it stands, this is a convincing win’. The gaps got a bit wider between defence and midfield and it probably took the goal to be conceded to stir the lads up again.

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“We then took charge again and it was good do get another goal and for Danilo to get his first one for us in the league.”

Victory leaves Town second in the League Two standings, just a single point behind leaders Forest Green Rovers.