Harrogate Town 1 Alfreton Town 1 Att. 456
A cracking game at the C N G Stadium (19 April 2011) saw Harrogate stretch their unbeaten run to ten and delay Alfreton’s title celebrations for a while longer.
In front of Wetherby Road’s largest crowd of the season,Alfreton were first in to the attack,but Anthony Wilson sliced his volley wide.
Harrogate soon found their feet with Ciaran Toner’s curling shot going agonisingly wide and Richard Marshall scoring from Graeme Armstrong’s pass,only for the linesman’s offside flag to rule it out.
However, it was the visitors who took the lead after twentysix minutes when Anthony Wilson forced home a left wing cross at the near post.
Almost immediately an Aden Flint blunder in the Alfreton defence let in Armstrong but his shot just missed the far post.
Both sides had chances to score as the game ebbed and flowed;Mark Cook kept out Liam Hearn’s shot with his legs,while at the other end
Craig James headed narrowly over Toner’s corner.
Alfreton should have extended their lead with the last action of the first half,when Hearn ran on to a splendid through ball,but he was thwarted by Cook.
The visitors started the second half in the same vein with Hearn driving a powerful shot at Cook.
Harrogate were giving as good as they got ,and a superb lay off by Armstrong saw Jake Picton bring out a fine save from Ross Turner.
Harrogate were not to be denied and a double substitution after seventyseven minutes paid immediate dividends, when sub Steve Bowey’s cross was headed in from close range by Armstrong.
Late drama saw Danny Wright’s centre strike Anton Brown’s arm inside the area,but Harrogate claims for a penalty were waved away by Referee Ryan Newman.
In stoppage time Josh Law’s angled drive flashed wide of the home goal,but another excellent Harrogate performance gave them a well deserved point.
John Harrison.
