A dazzling second half performance saw Harrogate Town take a giant step into securing a play off place.
Town were unchanged from Saturday and went immediately into the attack, with Lowestoft keeper,Ben Killip,having to turn a Jordan Thewlis shot into the side netting.
The relegation threatened visitors countered strongly and Lewis Turner was forced to clear Danny Crow’s dangerous through ball over his own bar.
A minute later, Harry Kyprianou’s accurate cross found the head of Ryan Jarvis in front of goal,but his contact was poor and the ball sailed well wide.
An excellent move started by Thewlis, ended with Brendan Daniels knocking Louis Swain’s centre over the bar.
At the other end, a rare slip by the ever reliable,Paul Thirlwell,let in Ryan Jarvis, but his composure deserted him and he was well off target.
That was as good as it got for Lowestoft,as Town dominated the rest of the half.
Thewlis,whose speed caused a constant problem for the visitor’s defence,broke through the middle,but he shot weakly at Killip,while just before the break, a long range free kick from Daniels,nestled on the roof of the net.
Within seven minutes of the restart, Town were coasting to victory.
There appeared little danger as Daniels received possession thirty yards out,but his trusty left foot delivered a thunderbolt which entered the net via the crossbar and upright,leaving Killip rooted to the spot.
Five minutes later,a superb crossfield pass from Thewlis found Joe Colbeck in acres of space on the right and he made ground to beat Killip on his near post.
Lowestoft, battled hard in midfield, but Town, with Danny Ellis majestic in defence and Lloyd Kerry controlling the midfield were in complete command.
Peter Crook easily dealt with defender, Joe Marsdon’s twenty yard drive in a rare visiting attack, before Jack Emmett replaced Thewlis and Paul Clayton took over from Andy Gascoigne, as the scene was set for a grandstand finish.
With ten minutes left, Clayton’s header found Emmett on the right and he cut in leaving a trail of defenders in his wake,before squaring across goal for Daniels to lash in from close range.
Swain’s drive from fully thirty yards just missed the upright,but as the game entered added time,his low cross took a deflection off the post wrongfooting the defence and Emmett was able to poke home for Town’s fourth.
Town
1 Crook, 2 Turner, 3 Swain, 4 Kerry, 5 Ellis (c), 6 Thirlwell, 7 Colbeck, 8 Gascoigne (Clayton 78), 9 Thewlis (Emmett 67), 10 Burrell, 11 Daniels.
Unused subs, 14 Foster,15 Warren,17 Platt. Booking Daniels
Scorers,Daniels 47,80.Colbeck 52.Emmett 90 Man of the Match Daniels Att.546
Report by John Harrison
Photography by Craig Hurle
