Harrogate once again left the Butcher’s Arms ground pointless as Droylsden ended Town’s ten match unbeaten run with a 5-1 victory.
There was no warning of the blitz to come as Town dominated the first half hour.
Within two minutes,Paul Phillips in the Bloods goal blocked Liam Hardy’s shot but Grame Armstrong ballooned the rebound high over the bar.
Town continued to trouble a strangely hesitant Bloods defence with Hardy dispossessing Lee McEvilly,then finding Martin Foster who was denied with a last ditch tackle.
That was as good as it got for Town as Droylsden netted twice in six minutes.
Firstly Ciaran Kilheeney stabbed in Liam Brownhill’s centre, then Domaine Rouse beat Mark Cook with a shot into the far corner.
Wayne Phillips and Steve Bowey were introduced at the break as Town sought a foothold back into the game.
However,it was a Droylsden sub Aaron Chalmers who spectacularly volleyed in after fiftyone minutes to make it three.
On the hour,the unmarked Michael Connor powered in a header from a corner as the Bloods threatened to run riot.
Rouse’s header over Cook trickled narrowly wide and Jake Picton was forced into a superb goal line clearance,but John Miles soon swept in a low cross to make it five.
With under ten minutes left,Town at last got on to the score sheet when Graeme Armstrong blasted home a late consolation goal fron the penalty spot.
John Harrison.
Harrogate Town: Mark Cook, Matt Bloomer, Dominic Roma, Martin Foster (Steve Bowey), Jake Picton, Craig James, Richard Marshall (Wayne Phillips), Adam Nowakowski, Graeme Armstrong, Liam Hardy (Lee Ellington), Ciaran Toner
