Harrogate Town endured a nightmare journey to Histon owing to both the A14 and the A428 being blocked by accidents and they didn’t arrive at the Glassworld Stadium until 2-15pm.
Simon Weaver gave new signing,Joe Ironside, a place on the subs bench and Matt Bloomer started at right back.
Town opened with a brilliant move between Dan Clayton, Craig Nelthorpe and Ashley Worsfold which resulted in a corner which Histon headed clear.
A Shane Killock foul on Seedy Njie saw Jay Dowie’s free kick cleared to Harry O’Malley who shot just over from 30 yards.
Both sides struggled with the swirling wind and bumpy pitch and the ball spent a lot of time in the air.
Kaine Sheppard shot across Town’s goal, while at the other end Clayton fired a free kick at home keeper,Calum Kitscha.
Dangerous crosses from Adam Nowakowski and Bloomer caused problems in the Histon defence,but half time arrived with no score.
Matt Heath was booked at the start of the second half and Nathan Hicks went close with the resulting free kick.
Histon had clearly adopted a shoot on sight policy and Lewis Taafe shot narrowly over, while Craig McGillivray had to tip a well struck drive from Jay Dowie over the bar.
Dominic Rowe, Joe Ironside and Anton Brown were introduced into the fray by Simon Weaver and this move paid immediate dividends.
Rowe broke down the right,found Ironside,whose clever turn and shot produced a chance for Chris Hall,but the home defence scrambled his shot clear.
However,Town were not to be denied and a minute later Nowakowski dispatched Dave Merris down the left and his low cross was turned in by Hall, much to the delight of Town’s large contingent of travelling fans behind the goal.
This brought Hall’s goal tally to ten for the season.
Town kept up the pressure with Hall heading across goal and Clayton firing a Rowe centre over the bar from the edge of the area.
Town safely negotiated the three minutes of added time to record an important win in their quest for a play off place.
Town
1 MacGillivray, 2 Bloomer, 3 Merris, 4 Nowakowski, 5 Heath, 6 Killock (c), 7 Smith (Rowe 61 mins), 8 Nelthorpe (Brown 65),9 Hall, 10 Worsfold (Ironside 65), 11 Clayton.
Unused subs, 12 Sellars, 16 Samuels. Booked Heath.
Scorer Hall 66 minutes. Att.291
By John Harrison
