HARROGATE Town manager Simon Weaver was left wondering how his side lost their first-ever visit to Colchester United.

Newly-promoted Town were well on top in the first half against the U's but ultimately had nothing to show for their effort, following a goal-less opening 45 minutes.

Goals from Callum Harriott and Ben Stevenson then put the U's in command after the break and although Jon Stead pulled a goal back, it was not enough to prevent Harrogate's three-match winning run in League Two from coming to an end.

Weaver said: “It’s really frustrating to lose because I thought we were the dominant team for the vast majority of the game.

“It was just five minutes of madness after half-time where we conceded a deflected goal and a sloppy second goal when we were stretched and we needn’t have been.

“That’s cost us big time but we should have been going in at half-time three or four goals up.

“We had a lot of possession and a lot of chances but we were just not cut throat, not by any stretch.

“We had high expectations coming into this level, of acquitting ourselves with passion and energy and confidence that we could hold our end up but we’re doing more than that.

“We’ve been dominating games; the last few wins have been by one goal but we’ve deserved to have had wins by more convincing scorelines.

“I don’t know how we’ve lost the game.

"I've been in the game a really long time and if you don’t punish teams when you’re really on top which we were.

"Perhaps the lads have just got to wake up and realise how good they are in possession.

"You have to put teams to bed.

"I was very pleased between the boxes when we were on the ball.

"We carved them open and I can't fault the players' energy, at all - it's just that we didn't put the chances away."

Despite their defeat at Colchester, boss Weaver said he is pleased with the way his Harrogate side have quickly adapted to life in the EFL.

They lie sixth in the table, two points off the automatic promotion places.

Weaver added: "It's not a huge surprise but it is a little surprise that so many games have gone by already where we've had so much of the game.

"We're cutting through and the energy is there for everybody to see.

"Sometimes you get an underwhelming response from people who say 'yes, you've got good energy' but I think we're more than that.

"I think we are carving teams open and we can be very proud of the way we play our football.

"Our style of play is looking good for League Two but if we want to maximise that, we have to put the chances away and find a ruthless edge."