Harrogate Town mathematically secured their SkyBet League Two safety with a 3-2 win over Newport County at Rodney Parade.
Three goals in the opening ten minutes saw Simon Weaver’s side respond to going behind with goals from Sam Folarin and George Thomson securing the lead for the majority of the evening.
Omar Bogle’s second of the game had tied things up in the 79th minute, though Luke Armstrong’s 16th of the season three minutes later ensured it was Harrogate who left with the victory and their SkyBet League Two status secured.
Weaver made one change from the weekend as Warren Burrell replaced the injured Alex Pattison, with Levi Sutton returning to the bench.
The contest started at a frantic pace with two goals inside the opening five minutes. First when Bogle applied the finishing touch to Will Evans’ left wing cross to put the hosts ahead in the third minute.
Less than two minutes later and the scores were level again as Folarin was able to finish into the bottom right corner from just outside the area.
A third goal arrived inside an action packed opening ten minutes at Rodney Parade, with Folarin the provider this time, his ball across the face of goal tapped in by Thomson at the far post.
Newport went close to levelling in the 26th minute as James Waite shot wired, while Mark Oxley had to be alert in the Town goal to keep out Harry Charsley’s effort not long after.
Town’s best chance of extending their lead came as Thomson’s free kick nearly picked out an unmarked Tom Eastman in the Newport area, though the centre half couldn’t make enough contact to add to his side’s lead before the interval.
Former Town loanee Calum Kavanagh fired over early in the second half, before a vital Toby Sims block stopped Will Evans’ effort going any further.
The best chances for the hosts fell to Evans and Captain Mickey Demetriou, though Evans could only head over Bogle’s lofted cross before Oxley denied the home Skipper at the far post.
Just seconds after Luke Armstrong saw his header cleared off the line, Newport were level through Bogle, the striker doubling his tally with a well taken finish after Charlie McNiell’s clip over the defence.
The hosts were level for just three minutes though as Armstrong turned home Matty Daly’s left wing cross to claim his 16th goal of the season.
Despite numerous attacks from the hosts, Town’s defence held firm to claim all three points and return home with their EFL status secured.
Town: Oxley, Falkingham (Muldoon 82), Burrell, Thomson, Olaigbe, Folarin (Daly 73), Sims (Sutton 65), O’Connor, Armstrong, Foulds, Eastman
Subs not used: Jameson, Mattock, Angus, McArdle
Goals: Folarin 5, Thomson 9, Armstrong 82
Booked: SIms
Newport: Day, Norman, Farquharson, Bogle, Waite, Kavanagh, Bennett (Lewis 45+), Baker, Charsley (McNeill 78), Demetriou, Evans
Subs not used: Townsend, Bowen, McNeill, Moriah-Welsh, Rai
Goals: Bogle 3, 79
Booked: Bennett, Evans
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 3,710 (55 away)
