Simon Weaver happy to still be in the fight as Harrogate win at Walsall
Harrogate boss Simon Weaver refused to be downbeat after late drama elsewhere took his side’s Football League destiny out of their own hands despite a 2-0 win at Walsall.
The Sulphurites thought they had climbed out of League Two’s relegation places at full-time but dropped back to 23rd after Newport’s injury-time winner against Oldham which came with 108 minutes on the clock.
Harrogate host Barnet on a final day with four teams separated by one point battling to avoid the second relegation spot with bottom side Barrow all but down.
“We had a late twist last week, we were back from the dead in the 99th minute [with a winner against Colchester] – other teams have had it this week so credit to them,” Weaver said.
“I’d rather Newport hadn’t scored in the dying moments but we can’t get too disappointed about that and let it blur our objective of staying up.
“It’s who gets out of it at the final whistle of the final game that matters.
“We’re so much better off than we were last Saturday morning – we’re still standing and we’ll give it every drop of effort. Everyone will be fired up for it. I believe in this group of players.
“Since the window closed, we’ve had mid-table form. It’s been a great response from two weeks ago when we lost at Newport.
“We’re in good nick at a pivotal time and we have to stay level-headed.”
Striker Shawn McCoulsky and goalkeeper Mark Oxley were Harrogate’s heroes at Walsall as they registered back-to-back league wins for the first time in seven months.
Oxley made fine first-half stops from Charlie Lakin, Jid Okeke and Alex Pattison before McCoulsky conjured a wonderful opener from outside the box.
He raced clear to seal the points with a cool finish after the breaking to hand the Saddlers – top at Christmas but who have sunk to 12th – a sixth defeat in their past nine at home.
Interim boss Darren Byfield said: “The first 10-15 minutes we came out of the blocks but we didn’t get the goal and when they scored, we kind of went off-script.
“That game showed what has happened this season – when the second goal went in, heads dropped, and we have to have a stronger mentality.”
Walsall have seen a promotion collapse for a second straight season and Byfield admitted: “The fans are well within their rights to be angry. I feel for them.
“There has to be a mentality shift – if you hear one boo from a fan or two or 10, you can’t hide, go and show them, turn the boos into cheers.
“Whether it’s me or someone else, we have to instil that in our players and I can’t do that in six weeks. It’s not technical or tactical, it’s mentality.”