Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver said the value of a point at Carlisle United is not to be understated.

The visitors were in front at Brunton Park before their lead was quickly wiped out and it ended 1-1.

Weaver admitted Carlisle caused his side problems in the first half but he said some half-time “adjustments” helped Harrogate make things less comfortable for United after the break.

Matty Daly and Luke Armstrong exchanged goals before the break.

“We grew into the game,” said Weaver. “We tried to make a bit of an adjustment to our defensive shape at half-time – we weren’t quite in sync in the right positions which led to us being a bit deep for their goal.

“I thought it was a good response from the players. We adjusted well in the second half, the wide players were a bit higher and we were able to engage their outside centre-halves when they crossed the halfway line.

Simon WeaverSimon Weaver (Image: PA)

“I thought we nullified their threats thereafter and were a bit better on the ball in the second half.

“They’ve got some good players, they play between the lines and at times your back four can be concerned about that and drop a bit too narrow – their wing-backs were high and wide and that dragged our wingers back.

“We just needed to be a bit more bold with it.

“In the second half it was better, and there was a bit more indecision in their build-up play and they didn’t have too big a distance on the ball to be comfortable on it. They gave it away a bit more across the back and when they went into the middle third.”

Daly opened the scoring for the 14th-placed Sulphurites against the run of play.

Weaver's No2, the former Carlisle captain Paul ThirlwellWeaver's No2, the former Carlisle captain Paul Thirlwell (Image: Ben Holmes)

“It was a good goal – we broke it up well, intercepted well, [Matty] Fouldsy’s ball was one of the best deliveries from out wide in today’s fixtures, I would have thought, and a good finish from Matty,” said Weaver in a club interview.

He said of Carlisle’s quick leveller: “It was a bit frustrating – it was quite busy here today, quite loud to be able to convey your messages loud and clear at times.

“It ended up a back six at times and we didn’t want that.

“We still came in1-1 with every reason to be optimistic, and after making a slight alteration and improvement, we had to keep believing.

“We said, ‘Don’t not value a point’, and there were opportunities late on to go for their throats. We knew their crowd would become a bit fractious and anxious if they weren’t in the lead, and perhaps if we could have stretched that time in the lead more, we could have had more gaps to go into.

“But they’re a good team and at this level you do have to value away points.”