Walsall FC 3 Harrogate Town 1: Simon Weaver bemoans lack of 'steel' as Sulphurites crumble

The Sulphurites boss was left “surprised” as the visitors’ three-match unbeaten run was brought to a shuddering halt following a disastrous opening 34 minutes which saw them totally outplayed in every area of the pitch and concede three times.

Having beaten Hartlepool and Morecambe, then held in-form Tranmere to a draw on Saturday, Town headed to the Bescott Stadium in decent shape and full of confidence, but they barely laid a glove on their hosts during the first half.

Rory McArdle’s needless foul on Liam Kinsella gifted the Saddlers an early penalty, which Danny Johnson converted, then Liam Gordon rattled home number two in the 18th minute.

And things got even worse for Harrogate when Jacob Maddox’s cross from the right was dispatched at the far post by Isaac Hutchinson, effectively ending the game as a contest.

Matty Daly did pull one back for Town late on when he tucked away substitute Sam Folarin’s low right-wing centre, however that goal came as little consolation on what was a dismal night for Weaver and his men.

"Right down the core of the team where I thought we’ve been full of steel the last three games, that steel wasn’t present and we didn’t earn the right, which you’ve got to do at League Two level,” the Harrogate boss reflected.

"Right down their middle, Walsall ran hard, ran over us and obviously upset us right from the off, which is surprising and bitterly disappointing.

"We needed to show more resilience and nous [after falling behind]. Things go in working order at this level where you have to bring physicality first and win that fight - which we’ve done for many years.

"It was a surprise to me because we backed the same lads, bar one, and same system after performing very well at home the last three games, but we were blown away in the first 20 minutes.

"Credit to the opposition, it can’t just all be about being negative about our performance, they were superb and played at a high tempo, everything that we have been about and want to be about, but we are obviously not there yet.”

The experienced McArdle’s unfathomable decision to go through the back of Kinsella when he was facing away from goal and going nowhere was the catalyst for Town’s capitulation, and Weaver had no complaints about the decision to award Walsall that 14th-minute spot-kick.

"It looked a stonewall penalty,” he said.

"I think we got away with another one in the second half, Kayne Ramsay slicing someone in half in our area as well.

"It’s just that discipline and doing it under pressure. They’ve got great support here and it is a fantastic stadium and this is the level we’re at. That brings pressure and we’ve got to handle it.

"It [McArdle’s challenge] was surprising because I don’t think he needed to make it, but he was the first to acknowledge that it was a mistake.”

Tuesday’s defeat drops Town one place down to 21st in the League Two standings and leaves them just two points clear of the relegation zone.