Harrogate Town should avoid overreacting after their highly disappointing loss to newly-promoted Bromley on the season’s opening day.
Manager Simon Weaver emphasized that Harrogate Town should not overreact to their disappointing 2-0 home defeat against Bromley, who were promoted to League Two via last season’s National League play-offs.
The Sulphurites, who struggled through a winless six-game pre-season, continued their poor form, showing little attacking threat and failing to score for the fourth consecutive match. This poor performance, combined with the loss of key players like 10-goal winger Abraham Odoh and influential centre-half Rod McDonald during the transfer window, has diminished the positive momentum from last season’s near-play-off success.
But Weaver is remaining level-headed, and while quick to acknowledge that his team has to “be better”, has stressed that nothing is decided on the first weekend of a 46-game campaign.
“It’s just one game,” he said. “Certainly, we shouldn’t lose hope over a single match. We mentioned before the game that regardless of the outcome, we need to brush ourselves off and avoid getting too high or too low based on one result.
“Sutton won 5-0 against Notts County in their opening game last season and still got relegated. The season can be unpredictable. We’ll take our time to recover and learn with the players we have.
“There are over 40 games this season, so there’s plenty of opportunity, but we definitely need to raise our performance levels.”
“We won’t make a big deal out of it or undermine confidence, but it’s important to challenge the players, even today. We need to demand more from them.”
During the first half of Saturday’s match, Bromley created more opportunities, with striker Michael Cheek having a header cleared off the line by Levi Sutton and Jude Arthurs, Cameron Congreve, and Kamarl Grant all threatening to score.
In contrast, Harrogate Town, who had been largely ineffective throughout pre-season, struggled to apply any real pressure on their opponents. Zico Asare, Matty Daly, and James Daly all attempted long-range shots, but none troubled Bromley’s goalkeeper, Grant Smith.
The Ravens continued to look more likely to score after the break and took the lead just after the hour mark.
A cross from the right flank was headed away by Harrogate center-back Anthony O’Connor, but only as far as Idris Odutayo, whose drilled shot across the goal was chested in from close range by Michael Cheek.
Harrogate Town tried to increase their tempo afterwards, but by the 70th minute, the game was virtually decided. Jude Arthurs delivered a corner from the left, and Kamarl Grant, rising highest at the back post, looped a header towards goal that substitute goalkeeper Mark Oxley should have saved.
There was little indication that Harrogate would find a way back into the game in the final moments. Although debutant Ellis Taylor managed to force a decent save from Grant Smith with a free-kick, it was the only notable effort from the hosts.
“We were up against a well-organized defensive team,” Weaver noted. “They play with a back five and are very solid. If we had scored first, it would have changed the game because they would have had to come out, but we didn’t.”
Harrogate Town will look to bounce back when they face Lincoln City in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening (7.45 pm).