Unchanged Harrogate Town remained on top of the National League with a comfortable victory over lowly Maidstone United.
Town could have taken the lead as early as the third minute,when Dom Knowles struck the upright,but Kelvin Langmead could only scuff the rebound over the crossbar.
United hit back with Shamir Mullings playing in Michael Phillips, who tested James Belshaw with a low drive.
However,Town took the lead on seventeen minutes when George Thomson’s corner was headed back across goal by Knowles to Liam Kitching,whose header came back off the bar,only to be headed past Lee Worgan by Callum Howe.
Town began to dominate,and a minute before the break,a superb cross from Joe Leesley split the United defence and Jack Muldoon raced clear to beat Worgan with a low shot into the corner.
As the half drew to a close,Worgan lost possession way out of his goal,but his defenders recovered quickly and Alex Finney managed to block Thomson’s goalbound shot.
A clearly stung Maidstone opened the second half on the front foot and Belshaw had to make an excellent save to keep out,sub Joe Quigley’s,close range flick,after Will De Havilland’s initial header had been deflected over the bar by Warren Burrell for a corner.
Town were well in command,although Jack Paxman and the industrious Mullings both shot well over Town’s bar from distance.Then with ten minutes left,Town survived a scare when a Stuart Lewis cross was headed onto the top of the bar by Mullings.
After the game,Simon Weaver stated that Town hadn’t picked up any injuries,so everything is set fair for next Saturday’s mouthwatering home clash against Leyton Orient.
Town,
Belshaw,Howe,Burrell,Thomson,Knowles(Beck 68),Leesley,Agnew,Langmead,Kerry,Muldoon(Williams 78)Kitching.
Unused subs,Parker,Cracknell,Sutton.
Scorers Howe 17,Muldoon 44
Booked Knowles Att,2222
Maidstone,
Worgan,Efete,De Havilland,Finney,Twumasi,Walton,Phillips,Lewis,Paxman,Coker(Quigley 45),Myllings.
Unused subs,McLennon,Wynter,Robins,Richards.
Booked Efete
Referee S Mather
By John Harrison.
@John Har59276371
