Harrogate Town virtually ensured their place in League 2 next season with a single goal victory over lowly Grimsby Town.
As predicted, Simon Weaver shuffled his pack with Ryan Fallowfield, Dan Jones and Lloyd Kerry replacing Warren Burrell, Ed Francis and Josh Falkingham, who took their places on the subs bench.
Harrogate bossed the first half from the start, with George Thomson forcing the Mariners keeper,Jake Eastwood,into an early fumbled save.
Josh March was next to threaten,and Eastwood had to deal with a well struck shot and an header in quick succession.
The visitors were forced into deep defence as Simon Power,Aaron Martin and Kerry all went close to giving Harrogate the elusive opening goal,but on 40 minutes the visitors had a good chance to break the deadlock.
Thomson was dispossessed in midfield by Stefan Payne who bore down on Town’s goal only to be denied by an excellent save from James Belshaw.
Grimsby came out for the second half with more purpose,but a powerful run from Josh McPake won a corner which they had to scramble away.
However,a triple substitution by Town on 68 minutes eventually bore fruit.Mark Beck,Jack Muldoon and Burrell were all introduced into the fray and they soon made a difference.
On 77 minutes a pinpoint centre from Fallowfield was met by Beck,who beat Eastwood with a looping header.
Grimsby made a desperate late rally to try and salvage a point,with James Hanson hitting a rebound over the bar and Andy Adams forcing Belshaw into a save deep into stoppage time.
Town,
Belshaw,Fallowfield,Jones(Burrell 68),Smith,Hall,Kerry(Falkingham 81),Thomson,Power,McPake,Martin(Beck68),
March(Muldoon( 68).
Unused subs,Minter,Francis
Scorer,Beck 77.
Grimsby Town,
Eastwood,Hendrie,Waterfall,Coke,Hanson,Matete(Morias 80),Hewitt,Pollock(Adams 80),Menayese,El Mizouni,Payne(John-Lewis 68).
Unused subs,McKeown,Rose,Green,Habergham,Adams
Booked,Hewitt 16
Referee,T Kettle
By John Harrison
