An healthy attendance of 702 on a wet and windy evening,saw Harrogate win their first match of the new season, by beating Boston 2-0.
Simon Weaver made one change from Saturday,bringing in Andy Gascoigne to replace Joe Colbeck.
Town made a strong start with Simon Ainge out jumping visiting keeper,Christian Dibble, to head Joe Leesley’s free kick just over the bar,after Dom Knowles had been fouled.
Boston had a let off after nine minutes when Jordan Robertson’s close range shot from Leesley’s corner came back off the underside of the bar, to be scrambled away by the defence.
The Pilgrims began to edge into the game and Luke Shiels had to clear a Grant Roberts free kick at the far post,while Peter Crook was called into action to produce a magnificent diving save to keep out Lewis Hilliard’s well struck free kick.
But it was Town who began to dominate with Knowles showing some ingenuity to chest a Leesley centre across goal, before both Lloyd Kerry and Lewis Turner had goalbound efforts blocked.
On a surface made slippery by a pre match downpour,mistimed tackles were rife and Referee,Simon Mather, handed out six first half cautions,four of them against Town.
Gascoigne forced Dibble into a full length save,while once again,Ainge pushed forward to head another Leesley cross over the top.
On fortytwo minutes,Town gained their just rewards for their pressure,when Leesley and Robertson found Knowles in midfield and he raced through the Pilgrim’s defence to shoot into the far corner.
There was instant reaction from Boston with Waide Fairhurst hitting a superb shot on the turn which flashed narrowly wide of the far post.
The visitors made the better start to the second half,with Town,perhaps mindful of their yellow cards,appearing to stand off the Pilgrims.
Callum Chippendale shot straight at Crook and the attacking full back,Kalern Thomas, found Jay Rollins who dragged his shot across goal.
Crook,then earned his match fee with an excellent tip over from a Fairhurst header after,Justin St Juste’s corner,but the introduction of Jack Emmett for Gascoigne,gave Town new impetus.
A ball inside the full back by Emmett put Leesley through on goal and Dibble did well to block his powerful drive.
With just over twenty minutes left,the ball was squared to Lloyd Kerry and his snap shot from the edge of the area beat Dibble at the far post to put Town well on the road to victory.
However,Boston refused to lie down and Crook had to make an excellent diving save to turn a well struck free kick from Chippendale on to the post,after sub,Lamin Colley had been fouled by Warren Burrell.
A late effort from Colley flashed wide of the upright but Town ran out worthy winners and climbed to second in the table.
Town
1 Crook, 2 Turner (Burrell 32), 3 Parker, 4 Thanoj, 5 Ainge (c), 6 Shiels, 7 Kerry, 8 Leesley, 9 Robertson (Pitman 84), 10 Knowles, 11 Gascoigne (Emmett 62).
Unused subs,12 Chilaka, 15 Ellis Bookings, Turner,Ainge,Shiels,Leesley.
Scorers,Knowles 42,Kerry 69. Man of the Match Gascoigne Att.702
Report by John Harrison
Photography Craig Hurle
