For the second time in four days Harrogate Town slipped to a disappointing one goal defeat.
Simon Weaver gave a start to new signing, Liam Hearn, and Joe Colbeck and Louis Swain were recalled to the starting line up.
Harrogate made a confident start with Lewis Turner’s cross from the right from Colbeck’s pass creating a sharp chance for Hearn who hit his shot across goal.
A cross from Brendan Daniels and a cushioned header from Paul Clayton made two more chances for Hearn,but James Montgomeryin the Buck’s goal managed to deny Town’s new striker.
Next, Dave McGurk pushed forward to try his luck,only for Montgomery to beat out his effort on the near post.
Telford began to come out of their shell with John Cofie having a shot deflected across goal and Curtis Tilt having a header cleared off the line by Lewis Turner.
Hearn relieved the pressure with a twenty yarder at Montgomery, but deep into first half stoppage time,Telford struck the decisive blow.
Tom Platt’s touchline foul on Cofie enabled Lucas Dawson to hit his free kick to the far post where sub,Mike Grogan’s, downward header bounced past Peter Crook.
Early second half action saw Clayton once again set up Hearn, but the keeper parried his shot to Colbeck who wantonly hit his follow up over the bar.
The introduction of Emmett and Jordan Thewlis for Colbeck and Hearn stirred the strangely lethargic home crowd into life and Town were soon presented with a chance when Dwayne Samuels grassed Emmett.
Daniels lashed in a thirty yard trademark free kick which Montgomery brilliantly tipped over the bar.
Harrogate kept up the pressure but were attacking on too narrower a front making it easy for the Telford defenders to clear their lines.
Dom Knowles replaced Daniels and soon drove through the Buck’s central defence only to drag his shot wide of the far post.
Town’s floated corners and centres were proving food and drink to Montgomery and it was left to the tireless
Clayton to provide a late chance for Thewlis, but once again Montgomery saved the day for Telford.
It meant that Town have now only picked up one point out of the last nine and dropped to fourth in the league.
Harrogate Town 0 AFC Telford United 1 Att.699
Town
1 Crook, 2 Turner, 3 Swain, 4 Platt, 5 Ellis (c), 6 McGurk, 7 Colbeck (Emmett 58),8 Kerry, 9 Clayton, 10 Hearn (Thewlis 58), 11 Daniels (Knowles 69).
Unused subs,16 Foster,17 Thirlwell. Booking Platt Att. 699
Man of the Match Swain.
By John Harrison.
