It took a second half penalty from Brendan Daniels to enable Town to draw with Curzon Ashton.
It was Curzon who posed the first threat when Jordan Wright’s cross was deflected away from Joe Guest by Joe Colbeck.
Unfortunately for Guest,that was his last action in the match,because on seven minutes he was given a straight red after a clash with Paul Clayton.
Town went close when Colbeck’s centre was headed back across goal by Danny Ellis and Clayton’s clever bicycle kick sailed just wide.
On eleven minutes, Town’s numerical advantage was lost when a reckless two footed tackle by Warren Burrell on Chris Rowney was punished with a red card by referee Paul Newhouse.
Both sides found it hard to create chances as defences ruled,but for Town, Swain sliced a half chance well wide.
On the half hour, Curzon took the lead when they pushed through Town’s outnumbered midfield and found Jordan Wright free on the right.Wright’s low cross found Matthew Warburton unmarked at the far post and he gave Peter Crook no chance from close range.
Paul Thirlwell replaced Clayton at half time and Town began to play with more cohesion,forcing a few early corners which came to nothing.A double substitution on the hour produced immediate dividends. Knowles and Warren made way for Jordan Thewlis and Daniels.
Town won a corner on the right and Ellis’s goalbound header was handled on the line by Chris Rowney, which earned him a red card.
Daniels equalised from the spot with his shot beating Hakan Burton’s despairing dive.
Town pushed forward in search of a long overdue win and Burton did well to tip a Daniels free kick for a corner.
Jonathan Hunt and Wright were both booked as Curzon’s nine men battled to keep out Town.
Thirlwell found Swain in space on the left and his searching cross was palmed of the head of Thewlis by Burton.
In a rare Curzon attack, Warburton powered a cross shot wide of Town’s goal,but it was Harrogate who understandably finished the stronger.
A Daniels free kick found Thewlis in the box but he fired over the bar and a speculative thirty yarder from Ellis deep in stoppage time sailed well wide.
Town
1 Crook,2 Colbeck,3 Warren (Daniels 60),4 Burrell, 5 Ellis (c), 6 Foster,7 Emmett, 8 Platt, 9 Clayton(Thirlwell 45), 10 Knowles (Thewlis 60), 11Swain.
Unused subs, 16 Gascoigne,18 Stewart. Sent off Burrell, Booked Warren,Daniels
Scorer Daniels 63pen. Manof the Match Platt, Att.752
Report by John Harrison
