Four second half goals in 12 minutes propelled Town into Saturday’s 3rd Qualifiying Round of the F A Cup.
A pre match downpour was contained by herculean work by the Town groundstaff and Referee Mark Ackerman decided to start the match.
Luckily the rain relented and Town’s new drainage system began to do its job.
After some initial sparring, Chib Chilaka and Shane Killock threatened with headers and Wests John Campbell almost deceived Jose Veiga with an effort from the touchline.
On 40 minutes Lee Elam’s run across the penalty box was ended by a trip from from Neil Pattinson and Luke Dean sent Mark Bell the wrong way from the penalty spot.
West Auckland hit back strongly with Campbell forcing a brilliant save from Veiga and Elliot Gardner’s follow up was turned round the post.
It was Wests who dominated the early exchanges of the second half and Stuart Banks rattled the home crossbar with a curling shot.
Just under the hour,Chris Carr spurned a great chance to equalise when he headed Campbell’s corner over from close range.
Then on 66 minutes the game caught fire.Campbell levelled with a free kick that hit the underside of the bar,but was ruled in by the officials.
Within a minute, the home fans fears were swiftly allayed as Paul Beesley’s deep cross was headed home by Lee Elam.
Five minutes later Alex Meechan made ground down the right and Beesley out jumped the visiting defence to head in to make it three.
Two minutes later Dave Merris intercepted a Wests pass and started a move that saw Beesley race through to sidefoot past Mark Bell.
The industrious Chilaka completed the scoring with 11 minutes left when he turned on the edge of the area and fired into the corner.
West Auckland never gave up and Merris made a good block to deny Campbell ,after a goalmouth scramble.
As the game entered stoppage time,West Auckland sub Paul Garthwaite earned himself a straight red for an over the top tackle, and an Alan White break upfield ended with Chilaka hitting the woodwork.
At the death,Matt Bloomer almost made it 6 when his cross shot was inches wide.
So it’s on to Saturday the 6th and a home tie with last years conquerors,Frickley Athletic.
Harrogate Town 1 Veiga 2 Bloomer 3 Merris 4 Bolder 5 White (c) 6 Killock 7 Meechan 8 Dean 9 Chilaka 10 Beesley (Allan 87) 11 Elam
Subs unused 12 Stimpson 15 Nowakowski 16 Samuels 18 McGillivray.
Goal scorers Dean 40pen,Beesley 72,76 Elam 67, Chilaka 79 Bookings Dean,Beesley
Attendance 151
