Stafford Rangers 1 Harrogate Town 1 Att. 401
A goal twelve minutes from time extended Town’s unbeaten run to seven.
Town opened strongly against a Stafford side clearly lacking in confidence.
After four minutes Ciaran Toner headed Gary King’s corner against the underside of the crossbar,then both King and Jake Picton went close with headers.
Inevitably, Town were made to rue their missed chances,when after twentyfive minutes good approach play between Stafford’s Edwards and Clarke ended with Niall Maguire heading in the latter’s cross.
Both teams were finding it hard to master the dry,bumpy pitch and high balls predominated.
In the first action after the break Jake Picton had a header cleared off the line,but it took a double substitution on fifty five minutes for Town to regain the initative.
Steve Bowey and Liam Hardy replaced Gary King and Wayne Phillips,and this gave Town new impetus.
Soon afterwards Toner shot over from Graeme Armstrong’s centre,then the home defence failed to deal with Adam Nowakowski’s through ball,which broke to Hardy,but Lee Evans bravely blocked his powerful drive.
However,with the Town camp growing increasingly anxious,a through ball from Bowey split the home defence and Toner shot past Evans at his near post to give Town a well deserved equaliser.
John Harrison.
Harrogate Town F C.
