Two goals in the last three minutes from Tamworth striker, Danny Newton, snatched victory away from Harrogate Town at the CNG Stadium.
An early Joe Leesley cross was cleared by the Lamb’s defence,while Town’s Warren Burrell made a timely block from Joe Clarke,
after Ross Dyer and Newton had created an opening for the visitors.
An exciting run from Joe Colbeck ended with a shot inches over the Lamb’s bar, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock.
Just before the half hour, Connor Taylor,picked up a Town clearance and his twenty yard drive took a deflection to beat Peter Crook.
Within minutes Town were level with arguably the best goal of the game.
Crook’s throw released Leesley down the left and he passed to Wayne Brooksby, who centred for Chib Chilaka to flick past James Belshaw from close range.
Belshaw was again called into action immediately afterwards,when he had to tip Burrell’s drive over the bar, after Paul Thirlwell had done the spadework.
An hectic three minutes before the break, saw the Lambs regain the lead when Dyer was first to react after Crook parried Newton’s goalbound shot and he raced forward to head past the grounded keeper.
However, Town went in level when, Simon Ainge pushed forward to head in a Leesley corner,on the stroke of half time.
Hesitation in the Tamworth defence almost let in Brooksby at the start of the second half,but Belshaw managed to scoop the ball away from the Town striker.
Ainge,then headed wide from a Burrell cross,but on fiftysix minutes, Town took the lead for the first time in the match.
Leesley’s centre beyond the far post was headed back across goal by Ainge and Burrell chested the ball down and lashed an unstoppable drive into the far corner.
A rising drive from Newton forced Crook to tip over the bar,but as the game entered its final minutes,the Town faithful were anticipating a welcome victory.
Unfortunately, Tamworth had other ideas and Town were given a warning when Stephen Morley’s drive was too hot for Crook to handle, but Ainge was quickly on hand to save the situation.
Town didn’t heed the warning, and a minute later Newton beat Crook with a low shot inside the near post to equalise.
Worse was to follow, because as the game entered added time, Newton beat the offside trap and shot into the far corner to restore Tamworth’s lead. Town had two late chances with Burrell shooting at Belshaw from the edge of the area and Colbeck just failed to reach Jack Emmett’s cross.
Seconds later, referee Billy Khatib, brought the game to an end and the near four figure crowd shuffled out of the ground in stunned silence.
Harrogate Town 3 Tamworth 4 Att.975
Town,
1 Crook, 2 Colbeck 3 Parker (Turner 45),4 Thirlwell, 5 Ainge (c), 6 Shiels, 7 Brooksby, 8 Burrell, 9 Chilaka (Pittman 82), 10 Clee,(Emmett 71),11 Leesley.
Unused subs,14 Thanoj,16 Knowles. Bookings nil.
Scorers,Chilaka 36,Ainge 45,Burrell 56 Att.975
By John Harrison.
