A goal from Kelvin Langmead, deep into stoppage time, rescued a point for Harrogate, as they were nearly embarrassed by lowly Dover.
Unchanged Town were put under early pressure by the visitors and Kelvin Lokko headed an Anthony Jeffrey corner over James Belshaw’s crossbar.
It didn’t take long for Town to recover their composure, however, and Joe Leesley was inches high with a twenty yard free kick.
Dover’s tall frontman,Inih Effiong, began to prove an handful in attack and Belshaw had to show his mettle to beat out a fierce drive from the visiting striker.
Next,it was time for the Dover keeper to show his expertise as Liam Kitching met a Leesley corner with his head, but Mitch Walker kept his goal intact at the second attempt.
On twentysix minutes, a wild tackle by Bedsente Gomis on Josh Falkingham, gave Town the opportunity to open the scoring with a now familiar goal.
Leesley put a long free kick to the far post and Callum Howe headed across goal for Aaron Williams to slide in at the far post.
Dover tried to hit back,but Gomis ballooned well over the top and Langmead managed to block a powerful drive from Jeffery.
As half time beckoned, a swerving twenty yard drive from Leesley almost deceived Walker, but he managed to beat the ball away.
New Dover manager, Andt Hessenthaler,must have given his troops an inspiring half time talk because they came out with all guns blazing.
Within two minutes,they had restored parity,when Jeffrey showed a clean pair of heels down the left flank and crossed for Effiong to slide the ball inside the near post out of the reach of Belshaw.
A clearly stung Town, countered with a move between the two Jack’s,Emmett and Muldoon, dispatching Leesley down the left to cross to George Thomson, whose shot was deflected over the bar.
Town were given a warning on sixty-five minutes when Effiong’s centre found Jamie Allen free, but although he scuffed his shot the ball still hit the home crossbar.
Worse was to follow for the Wetherby Roaders, because a minute later,the large crowed were stunned into silence when the dangerous Effiong cut in from the left and tucked the ball inside the near post.
Town laid siege to the Dover goal as they sought a face saving equaliser and Falkingham tested Walker from fully thirty yards, while Langmead forced Walker to tip his header over the bar.
Jordan Thewlis, who had replaced Williams, was proving a handful for the Dover defence, and he won a corner which Liam Kitching headed wide.
Dover’s delaying,time wasting, tactics were incensing the home crowd and Referee Andrew Miller had no hesitation in awarding six minutes stoppage time.
With four of the six already gone, Town made one last herculean effort and they were rewarded when Langmead met a Kitching cross at the near post to flick home a header from an acute angle to level the scores.
The game still had one last twist in the tail,when the excellent Jeffrey blotted his copy book after a clash with Thomson and was red carded, while Thomson received a caution.
Next week sees the return of the F A Cup to the CNG as Town host Wrexham.
Town
Belshaw,Falkingham(c),Howe,Burrell,Thomsom,Emmett,Leesley,Langmead,Williams(Thewlis 67),Muldoon(Beck 61),
Kitching.
Unused subs,Cracknell,Agnew,Kerry.
Scorers,Williams 26,Langmead 90+4. Bookings Howe,Thomson. Att.1865
Hgte Town Man of the Match Jack Emmett.
Dover,
Walker,Passley,Lokko,Essam,Jeffrey,Brundle(c),Allen,Effiong(Massanka 84),Gomis(Nortey 71),Lewis,Debayo(Okosieme 80).
Unused subs,Sho-Silva,Adebowale Bookings,Brundle,Gomis,Debayo, Sent off Jeffrey.
Scorer,Effiong 46,66.
Referee Andrew Miller.
By John Harrison.
@JohnHar59276371
