Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver hails ‘brilliant’ Mansfield Town after incredible 9-2 demolition job

It equalled Stags' best ever league win from 1932 and a shellshocked Weaver said: “It was an incredible scoreline for Mansfield and, fair play to them, I thought they were brilliant in all aspects. We were well beaten by the better team.

“But in spite of that we have everythuing to go for still if we have a positive attitude.

“Obviously we have been well-beaten by a very strong team in the worst form of ourselves on the ball. It was a hard night.

“We gift-wrapped several goals and lackd intensity. That was the element that hurts a bit.

“I am not going to batter them as the lads have been absolutely magnificent for the football club for several months.

“We have been hard to beat all season, we've been entertaining, we've been everything that we want to see from a Harrogate Town team. But tonight we weren't.

“So we have to treat it as a one-off and move on quickly. But we also have to learn from the harsh lessons that were dealt by a really strong Mansfield team tonight.

“We didn't lay a glove on them which is not a characteristic of ours iover the years. Maybe we've got ahead of ourselves for a few days and need to learn from that.”

He continued: “We mustn't suddenly rip up the way we've been playing. We have been good in all aspects.

“But we have to step it up again to compete with the likes of Mansfield.

“We are close to the play-offs and quite deservedly so after 30 games.

“We have to be that team that are really good at bouncing now.

“We've done it before and we will do it again through being strong-minded and an ability to dust ourselves off.”