Harrogate Town twice lost the lead, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Salford City in the F A Trophy.
The Town faithful were given a welcome boost, when Lloyd Kerry was included in the starting line up for the first time since Bank Holiday Monday at F C Halifax Town.Lloyd, who was playing in a protective face mask, provided Town with the perfect start,when he shot past Jay Lynch within two minutes of the start, after a powerful run from Lewis Turner.
Town were making the running and a strong run and backheel by Wayne Brooksby,presesented Nicky Clee with an opening, but his shot curled wide of the goal.
Simon Ainge,then got into the act, when he headed a Clee corner wide,but on eighteen minutes City drew level.
With Ainge off the field waiting to return after treatment, Matt Warburton squared to James Poole and his low drive from just outside the area beat Chris Elliott via the inside of the post.
A clearly stung Town,hit back with a rocket from Clee that just grazed the crossbar and then
Lynch had to pull out a fantastic reaction save to keep out a Luke Shiels header.
Elliott had to race well out of his goal to clear the danger when Craig King’s through ball released Josh Hine and he earned himself a yellow card after colliding with the City forward.
However, with only seconds to go in the first half,Town regained the lead when a deep Andi Thanoj corner was headed back across goal and Shiels headed in from close range.
Kerry and Ainge went close and Clee had a shot deflected for a corner after another strong run from Brooksby, as Town kept up the pressure after the break.
Unfortunately,hopes of a long overdue victory for Town were squashed, when Mike Nottingham was first to react to a right wing corner and equalised with an header past Elliott.
Although Salford skipper, Bradley Barnes,was dismissed for a second bookable offence with eleven minutes left, Town couldn’t take advantage and Lynch easily dealt with late strikes from Thanoj and Jack Emmett.
The replay will be at Moor Lane,Salford on Tuesday evening.
Harrogate Town 2 Salford City 2 Att.571
Town
1 Elliott, 2 Turner, 3 Swain, 4 Thanoj, 5 Ainge (c), 6 Shiels, 7 Burrell, 8 Kerry,
9 Pittman (Chilaka 84),10 Brooksby (Emmett 71), 11 Clee (Leesley 89).
Unused subs,14 Colbeck, 17 Crook. Bookings Elliott,Ainge
Scorers,Kerry 2,Shiels 45. Man of the Match Shiels, Att 571
By John Harrison
