‘Grow up and attack the ball’ blasts Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver after defeat to Crewe

Two headed finishes from Dan Agyei and Kelvin Mellor, both from corners, in the closing minutes of the first half, ensured the Railwaymen got a firm grip on the game.

Despite rallying in the second half, Weaver’s side only managed to trouble Crewe keeper Arthur Okonkwo once and their defeat was sealed when substitute Courtney Baker-Richardson scored a third for the home side.

“For the majority of the first half we were quite in control of our performance, I thought it was a good away performance and I thought if we’d got to half-time at 0-0 then Crewe would have started to get frustrated,” said Weaver.

“But we lost the game in the 44th and 45th minute from two similar corners by not attacking the ball. It’s disappointing and we’ve got to grow up – the players need to keep with their men and attack the ball.

“Overall we lacked the final ball, or cross that would have made a difference, and we also lacked that little bit of composure. That wasn’t the case last week when we beat Swindon. But it’s early days yet for what is a new squad.

“Today we came to a team that was playing in League One last season and I have to say Crewe deserved their three points as, in both areas, at the back and up front, they did better than we did.

“But there’s more to come from the players and I don’t want to floor them after one defeat.”

Crewe: Okonkwo, Mellor, McDonald, Offord, Williams (Colkett 61), Thomas, Uwakwe ,Brook (Baker-Richardson 68), Ainley (Leshabela 84), Sambou (Oliver Finney 84), Agyei (Griffiths 84). Unused substitutes: Sass-Davies, Booth.

Harrogate Town: Jameson, Welch-Hayes, Burrell, Mattock, Thomson, Dooley, Austerfield (Muldoon 68), Headley, Pattison, Daly, Armstrong. Unused substitutes: Oxley, Richards, Ferguson, Horbury, Ilesanmi.

Referee: D Bourne (Nottinghamshire).