Harrogate came within two minutes of progressing to the 2nd round of the F A Trophy, as they drew with Barrow in front of a disappointedly low pre Christmas crowd.
For Town, Chib Chilaka replaced Wayne Brooksby in the attack.
Town suffered a disastrous start,finding themselves two down after only eight minutes.
Two minutes in, the prolific,Byron Harrison, broke down the right and his cross to the far post was turned in by Jordan Williams.
Worse was to follow,Simon Ainge received a booking and moments later a Ryan Yates shot trickled through the home defence to Richie Bennett who shot past Chris Elliott and Town’s appeals for offside were brushed aside by Referee,Scott Oldham.
Williams skied wildly over the bar for the Cumbrians,but Town began to gradually get into the match.
Louie Swain’s excellent crossfield pass released Joe Leesley down the left and his centre was met by Jon Paul Pittman,whose header was scrambled away for a corner,which Ainge headed onto the roof of the net.
However,on twentynine minutes Ainge was left unmarked and headed Leesley’s corner past Tim Erlandsson to give Town a foothold into the match.
Town kept up the pressure with Chilaka firing a Paul Thirlwell lob into the area at Erlandsson.
But Town were not to be denied and Chilaka found Joe Colbeck on the right and his centre across the box was lashed into the far corner of the net to equalise.
Liam Hughes blazed way over the bar as Barrow attacked,but it was Town who struck next when Ainge was bundled over in the area and although Pittman’s penalty was initially saved by the keeper,the Town striker netted the rebound.
Unfortunately,Town suffered a blow with thirteen minutes left when Lewis Turner was red carded for bringing down Ross Hannah on the edge of the area.
Elliott pulled out a magnificent save to keep out Andy Howarth’s resulting free kick,but with only two minutes of normal time remaining the stretched Town defence couldn’t prevent Bennett equalising from close range,to force a Tuesday replay.
Town
1 Elliott, 2 Turner, 3 Swain, 4 Thanoj, 5 Ainge (c), 6 Thirlwell (Shiels 45), 7 Colbeck, 8 Burrell, 9 Pittman (Day 86),10 Chilaka ( Brooksby 79), 11 Leesley.
Unused subs,16 Emmett,17 Clee SO Turner,Bookings Thanoj,Ainge,Brooksby.
Scorers, Ainge 29,Leesley 42,Pittman 61pen. Att.441
By John Harrison.
