A goal two minutes from time robbed ten man Harrogate Town of a precious point at leaders Newport County.
Lloyd Kerry and Aaron Martin returned from injury for Town and Dan Jones replaced Ryan Fallowfield who is self isolating after a family member tested positive for Covid 19.
Josh Falkingham’s early strike for Town sailed the wrong side of the crossbar,while at the other end,County’s,Padraig Amond forced a leaping save from James Belshaw.
But on half an hour,County showed just why they are League leaders,with a quality goal.A defence splitting pass from Joss labarde found Liam Shephard in space and his accurate cross was driven home by Amond.
Worse was to follow for Town,because on 37 minutes skipper Falkingham was dismissed for a second yellow card after Referee Howard harshly ruled that he had dived in the County penalty area.
However,Town’s ten men did not bemoan their bad luck and proceeded to take the game to the hosts.levelling matters just before the break.
A George Thomson corner was headed on by Jones and Will Smith netted from close range.
Town kept up the pressure in the second half and thought they had taken the lead when Martin scored from a Thomson pass,only for the referee to rule out the goal for a foul on Nick Townsend.
Jack Muldoon then served up a chance for Thomson when he cut the ball back from the right. but the Town striker’s shot hit the side netting.
Unfortunately,an inswinging corner two minutes from time was met at the far post by the Exile’s,Brandon Cooper and he headed in from close range to send Town home with an unlucky defeat.
Town,
Belshaw,Jones,Falkingham,Smith,Burrell,Thomson,Martin(Beck 85),Kiernan,(Kirby 40),Kerry,Muldoon,Hall.
Unused subs,
Cracknell,Stead,Walker,Lokko.
Scorer,Smith 43. Booked,Kerry,Falkingham,Jones.Sent Off Falkingham
Newport County,
Townsend,Haynes,Labadie,Cooper,Bennett,(Devitt 81),Amond,Sheehan,Abrahams,(Willmott 60)
Twine,Demetriou,Shephard(Proctor 60).
Unused subs, King,Baker,Webb,Ellison.
Scorers,Amond 30,Cooper 88.
Referee,P Howard.
By John Harrison
