A last minute penalty preserved Hyde’s 100% record in a pulsating match at Ewan Fields.
On a perfect playing surface, Town took the lead on six minutes when Jake Picton found Peter Bore, whose ball over the defence was expertly brought down and lobbed home by Paul Brayson.
The dangerous Ryan Crowther equalised in Hyde’s first serious attack when he cut inside and beat Mark Cook with a superb cross shot.
Harrogate were clearly relishing the challenge and restored their lead on eighteen minutes when Laurie Wilson headed Craig Radcliffe’s centre back across goal for Adam Nowakowski to gratefully volley in.
Town kept up the pressure with Nowakowski heading over and Brayson chipping onto the roof of the net.
Brayson and Stephen Turnbull then combined to send Bore through,but his shot was well smothered by David Carnell.
Hyde began to play some delightful football and Andy Pearson went close with an header, before ex Town player Dan Broadbent scored with a shot into the far corner, on the stroke of half time.
After the break the Tiger’s began to show why they are league leaders as they threatened the Town goal.
Callum Byrne drove at Cook from thirty yards,before shooting wide after a penetrating run, then Wilson’s vital interception broke up a dangerous raid.
However,it was Town who soon had the ball in the net;sub Lee Elam sent Radcliffe away down the left and Liam Hardy turned in his cross,only to be denied by the linesman’s offside flag.
Although Hyde brought on three late substitutes, it was Town who finished the stronger with Bore and Wilson shooting wide and Carnell diving at Hardy’s feet.
As the game moved into added time Town suffered heartbreak when Lee Elam brought down Chris Worsley in the area and Matt Bekeley
blated home from the spot.
Harrogate Town 1Cook 2 Wright 3 Radcliffe 4 Nowakowski 5Picton(c) 6 Heckingbottom(Elam37) 7 Bore 8 Wilson 9 Brayson 10 Hassan(Hardy61 rep byTurl88) 11 Turnbull Subs unused 17Bloomer 18 Pell
Bookings Nowakowski and Wilson.
Next match Sat 10 September Harrogate Town v Gloucester City
