Harrogate Town 3 Bradford City 0: Sulphurites 'wanted it more' than Bantams, says Simon Weaver

Josh March on the attack during Harrogate Town's 3-0 derby success over Bradford City at Wetherby Road. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

A record home league crowd of 3,905 packed into the EnviroVent Stadium as the Sulphurites ended a run of eight matches without a victory in convincing fashion.

Josh March’s predatory 21st-minute header from a Warren Burrell cross set Town on their way, before George Thomson’s second-half penalty and a Daniel Oyegoke own goal wrapped things up.

And Weaver was full of praise for his charges after the full-time whistle sounded on a result which keeps Harrogate’s play-off dream alive.

George Thomson fires home from the penalty spot to put the Sulphurites 2-0 up.

"I'm immensely proud. I said to the players after the game, ‘you are a team of heroes'. They played like a team of friends, real pals who are close-knit. I thought that they wanted it more than the opposition, and that’s no disrespect to Bradford.

"I just thought that everything that was tight, we came out on top of. It was always going to be a war of attrition early on and we held them. When it was gale-force wind in our faces first half, we defended diligently and nothing was too much effort for us.

"It was about doing jobs well, playing it in behind, playing to the conditions and winning that fight. After all, it’s a derby, whether Bradford like it or not, we are based in Yorkshire. The game is maybe more important to us, but that showed in our performance.

"It was about rising to the occasion and everybody did. We’ve just been excited about this game, everybody has been up for it in the week.

Josh March and Jack Muldoon celebrate Town taking a 3-0 lead against the Bantams.

"We are proud of the fact that we have caused them real problems, we’ve stuck three in the back of the net and for a derby day, it couldn’t have gone any better."

There was little to chose between the sides during the opening exchanges, however it was Town who broke through when Burrell delivered an inviting centre from the right that March met at the near post to nod beyond Sam Walker.

The Sulphurites were then indebted to James Belshaw for denying the Bantams an equaliser, when he reacted superbly to thwart Tyreik Wright one-on-one.

Harrogate came within a whisker of doubling their advantage just before the interval as Matty Daly struck the post and the game remained in the balance until the hosts did add a second goal on 73 minutes.

Simon Weaver celebrates with the Harrogate supporters after the final whistle.

Jeremy Sivi advanced down the left and into the City box, taking on Brad Halliday and forcing the Bradford right-back to handle the ball. The resulting spot-kick was dispatched emphatically by Thomson, who sent Walker the wrong way as he registered his 14th of the season.

Number three followed soon afterwards, Oyegoke putting through his own net after Harrogate substitute Jack Muldoon had got in behind and pulled the ball back from the right.

Saturday’s result saw Town end a run of three consecutive home defeats, much to Weaver’s relief.

"Our pride has been hurt from not performing in front of our fans,” he added. “We keep performing away from home, we are a team of grafters, but we need to turn it on in front of our home fans.

"This felt like our win against York a few years ago in the National League where we turned it on in a local derby. It should give us confidence, hopefully it's a springboard for the rest of the season because we want to finish strong.”

Victory leaves Town 13th in the League Two standings, five points shy of the division’s final play-off berth, with seven games of the regular season remaining.