It was the very, late, late show at the CNG Stadium, as it took Harrogate Town until the seventh and final minute of added time, to equalise against a rugged Chesterfield outfit.
Town were unchanged from the line up that comprehensively defeated Barrow last Tuesday evening.
The Spireites mounted the first attack which ended with Joe Rowley skying over Town’s bar,with an optimistic effort from distance.
Town were struggling to make headway as the visitors were closing them down quickly, although both Josh Falkingham and George Thomson had shots charged down.
Chesterfield’s attacks were few and far between and easily dealt with by the home rearguard,while at the other end,the industrious,Jack Muldoon, had a chance to open the scoring when he volleyed a Jack Emmett cross over the bar.
A foul on Mark Beck by Hayden Hollis enabled Joe Leesley to put a dangerous free kick into the box and visiting gloveman Callum Barton had to move smartly off his line to gather the ball.
It was a poor,niggling first period and Referee Sam Purkiss,was kept busy issuing cautions,including one to Town’s manager,Simon Weaver,who was involved in an altercation with Chesterfield’s Zavon Hines,who was also booked.
Town started the second half brightly and Emmett met a Leesley cross but Sam Muggleton managed to block the Town striker’s attempt.
Muggleton’s long throw-ins were putting the Town defence under pressure,but it still was an unexpected surprise when the Spireites took the lead after fiftyseven minutes.
Town lost possession on the left and sub,Jerome Binnon-Williams crossed for Jonathan Smith to drive past James Belshaw from close range.
Town,roared on by a two thousand plus crowd,finally began to hammer at the Spireites goal.
Lloyd Kerry and Aaron Williams were introduced into the fray and Leesley from the left and Emmett and Ryan Fallowfield from the right began to supply a series of dangerous crosses.
Beck and Liam Kitching went close with headers and Callum Howe forced Barton to save at the foot of the near post,but it looked likely that Chesterfield would hold out for a precious win.
However,they were employing every time wasting tactic in the book and they were hoist with their own petard when the referee awarded seven minutes added time.
Town threw everything into the attack, with even Belshaw joining the assault,and with only seconds to go their efforts were rewarded.
A corner was met by Beck, but blocked by the massed defence,but Aaron Williams managed to get the final touch to force the ball over the line.
Scene’s of wild jubilation followed as the faithful celebrated the equaliser as if it were a winner, and within seconds the referee brought the game to an end.
Town
Belshaw,Fallowfield,Falkingham,Howe,Burrell,Thomson(Kerry 79),Emmett,Beck,Leesley,Muldoon(Williams 58),Kitching.
Unused subs,Cracknell,Agnew,Langmead. Att 2291
Scorer,Williams 90+7 Booked Weaver,Emmett,Burrell. Man of the Match, Falkingham.
Chesterfield,
Burton,Evans,Maguire,Weston,Shaw(Reid 79),Hines(Denton 59),Rowley,Hollis,Muggleton,Smith,Kiwomya(Binnom-Williams 53).
Unused subs,Nelson,Fortune.
Scorer,Smith 57. Booked Hines,Rowley.
Referee,S Purkiss.
By John Harrison.
@JohnHar59276371
