HARROGATE Town boss Simon Weaver admits it was a familiar feeling for his side after they relinquished an early lead to lose to Colchester United.

The hosts were beaten 2-1 at the EnviroVent Stadium, despite making a rapid start in the League Two encounter and taking the lead through Jack Muldoon.

First-half goals from Freddie Sears and Noah Chilvers secured Colchester's win and inflicted a second defeat in three matches on Harrogate.

Weaver told the Harrogate Town YouTube channel: "I'd like to say that we were in total control in the first half an hour but we're not - one goal is not a good enough lead for us, at the minute.

"It's been proved this year that without being under stress, we're likely to concede and that's where we have to evolve the team in the summer, because it's a recurring theme.

"We're in the 60s in terms of the goals conceded, the expected goals is also poor.

"It's all pointing to the direction that we're quite porous in defence and it's frustrating.

"We've tried different systems but we're going back to what we know best and it's cost us dearly.

"I thought we looked really good in the first half an hour and had good possession, great tempo, we're getting at people and playing our way.

"But our way also has to contain that resilience.

"It's been a theme that's been recurring for quite a few months now and it's so repetitive.

Gazette:

"You can't alienate the group and say that they were all poor defensively, because that wouldn't be correct.

"But defensively, we have gift-wrapped them opportunities to score, they've taken them and that's the ruthless nature of the league.

"We're disappointed with the second goal; the midfielder has run past our centre midfield.

"We could also have been more ruthless and scored more goals.

"Overall, it's been a disappointing day."

Harrogate lie 16th in League Two, having one only one of their last nine matches.

"Every team in every league concedes goals but it's how you react to it," added Weaver.

"It was a bit 'oh not again' and yet we're not bottom of the league - we're 13 points off that bottom two.

"Probably from an outsider's point of view outside of this football club, they're thinking 'they're doing alright and establishing themselves'.

"But for us, we're frustrated with it.

"We're hurting right now and we want to evolve it right now but the message is quite repetitive, at the minute."