Harrogate Town got back to winning ways with a last gasp victory over Stalybridge Celtic.
Simon Weaver made several changes in attack as he tried to give Town more firepower and Lewis Turner returned from injury to further strengthen the side.
It was Celtic,with Ben McKenna and Aidan Chippendale attacking down the wings who made the early running.
Peter Crook made a vital block as Chris Simms took advantage of a defensive lapse,but Town soon began to hit back.
Joe Colbeck forced Tony McMillan into a diving save and it took a last ditch block by Peter Wylie to prevent Andy Gascoigne netting from the rebound.
A tremendous period of Town pressure ended with Brendan Daniels shooting across goal and Jordan Thewlis sidefooted over the bar after breaking through the Celtic defence.
However, Town were not to be denied and they took the lead on the half hour with a fortuitous own goal.
Louis Swain found Daniels on the left and his low cross was headed into his own goal by the diving Dale Wright.
Lloyd Kerry drove wide for Town,but at the other end, Crook had to back pedal to pluck a Jack Higgins header from under the crossbar after McMillan’s long free kick.
Unfortunately, Town were rocked on the hour when Simms stabbed in Chippendale’s cross to the near post.
Paul Clayton and Jack Emmett replaced Thewlis and Gascoigne as Town sought to do the double over Celtic.
It was a move that almost paid immediate dividends when Clayton’s header found Emmett in space on the right, but his cut back was skied over the bar by Warren Burrell.
Celtic’s,John Shaw was stretchered off the field after sustaining a leg injury, which led to Referee Billy Khatib playing five minutes added time.
Four of the five minutes had elapsed when Higgins brought down Emmett on the right touchline and Daniels’s lofted free kick to the far post deceived everyone to nestle in the net.
Wild scenes of relief and jubilation followed as Town consolidated their place in the play off positions.
Town
1 Crook, 2 Turner, 3 Swain,4 Kerry (Platt 90), 5 Ellis (c), 6 Thirlwell, 7 Colbeck, 8 Gascoigne (Emmett 80), 9 Thewlis (Clayton 73), 10 Burrell, 11 Daniels.
Unused subs,14 Foster,15 Warren Bookings nil
Scorers,Wright 32 og,Daniels 90. Att.630
By John Harrison.
