An outstanding second half performance from Harrogate Town, enabled them to record their second victory of the season over York City.
Unchanged Town, were put under early pressure by the Minstermen and it took a superb tackle from Ryan Fallowfield to halt David Ferguson’s run into the box.
A foul by Josh Law on Dom Knowles, gave Joe Leesley a chance, but his effort was turned into the safe arms of Adam Bartlett, in the home goal.
Jake Wright was the next to threaten for Town when he intercepted the ball in midfield and bore down on the York goal, only to be halted by Danny Parslow’s strong tackle.
City were just about shading a scrappy half in which the ball was spending long periods in the air,as both sides adopted a safety first approach.
Connor Smith broke through to the edge of the Town area before squaring to Simon Heslop, but James Belshaw was well positioned to keep out his powerful drive.
But it was Town who should have gone into the break, in front.
Fallowfield’s quick throw behind the defence found Jack Emmett and his centre took a deflection,forcing a brilliant one handed save from Bartlett, but Leesley blazed the rebound over the bar.
However,it was the visitors,playing towards the end which housed their five hundred plus fans,who took the initative, after the break.
Skipper, Josh Falkingham released George Thomson down the left and his cross found John McCombe, whose back header was gratefully grabbed by Bartlett.
With only six minutes of the second half gone, Jake Wright broke down the right wing and shrugged off the attention of Ferguson to score with a low,hard,cross shot into the far corner.
The Minstermen tried hard to get back onto level terms and a tremendous strike from Smith, from just outside the area tested Belshaw’s capabilities to the limit as he touched the ball over the bar.
Home captain, Sean Newton,met the resulting corner but his header sailed over the bar into the David Longhurst stand.
On the hour, Wright had to leave the field with a facial injury, to be replaced by Mark Beck.
It took only seven minutes for Beck to add his name to the scoresheet, when he was fouled on the left flank, before heading Leesley’s pin point free kick in at the far post.
He almost added a second, when after superb play by Knowles on the left of the area,the ball took a wicked bounce to deny him.
Jordan Thewlis,who had replaced Knowles, had a fine chance to put the result beyond doubt when he collected Thomson’s long crossfield pass, but the home defence raced back quickly to block his shot.
Town played out six minutes of added time,only threatened by Law’s free kick which was headed over the top and keep the pressure on Salford who also won today.
Town
Belshaw, Fallowfield, Parker, Falkingham (c), Burrell, McCombe, Thomson, Emmett. Wright(Beck 60), Knowles(Thewlis 74), Leesley(Agnew 87).
Unused subs, Kennedy, Cracknell
Booking Thewlis 89.
York City
Bartlett, Brown(McNaughton 54), Ferguson, Bencherif, Parslow, Moke, Newton(c), Heslop(Kamdjo 82), Smith(Correia 68), Law, Connolly.
Unused subs, Gray,Simpson.
Referee S Mather
