Harrogate Town gained their second 3-1 victory of the season, over second placed Hednesford Town.
Town’s new signing, the returning Dan Clayton,went straight into the side and Craig Nelthorpe replaced the suspended Adam Bolder in midfield.
The first action saw Dwayne Samuels make a vital interception to keep out Hednesford, before visiting keeper, Dan Crane had to move smartly off his line to prevent Ashley Worsfold reaching Chris Hall’s header.
On ten minutes Clayton’s first touch of the match yielded Harrogate a goal when his deep centre was returned across goal by Worsfold for Hall to score from close range.
A series of Steve Mallory free kicks were troubling the Pitmen’s defence and Hall almost made it two when he volleyed one, narrowly wide.
However, on 26 minutes Matt Heath was on hand to turn yet another Mallory free kick past Crane to make it 2-0.
Hednesford were given a route back into the match when,on 36 minutes,Samuels brought down
Jamey Osborne in the area and John Disney scored with a superb penalty.
The dangerous,Neil Harvey, almost equalised with a shot that flashed across goal,but it was Town who stretched their lead just before the break, when Worsfold’s perseverance down the right paid off, when he managed to square the ball for Chris Hall to score Town’s third.
Craig MacGillivray was the busier keeper at the start of the second half, making good saves from Dave McPherson and Paul Sullivan.
Town were still posing a threat to the visitor’s defence,with Worsfold cutting in from the right and shooting just wide of the far post and Nelthorpe going close after being played in by Hall.
Crane made a brilliant block from Hall,after he had been set up by sub Jahmal Smith’s pinpoint cross,while fellow sub,Anton Brown headed a Dave Merris centre just over as Town coasted to an impressive victory.
Town
1 MacGillivray, 2 Samuels, 3 Merris, 4 Nelthorpe, 5 Heath, 6 Killock,(c), 7 Mallory, (Brown 62 mins), 8 Nowakowski, 9 Hall, 10 Worsfold (Smith 71), 11 Clayton.
Unused subs, 12 Sellars,16 Hardy, 18 Crook.
Scorers Hall 10,43. Heath 26. Bookings Killock,Nowakowski,Hall
Man of Match Hall Att.477
By John Harrison
