A fiftythird minute header by Mark Beck gave Harrogate Town victory in a physical, dour game at a wet and windy CNG Stadium.
The match was preceded by a minutes silence for Bill Fotherby, Town’s innovative,mercurial Chairman for the first decade of this Century who passed away earlier this week.
Once again,Town were unchanged,although Joe Leesley was recalled to the subs bench.
The first attack came from Maidenhead when James Comley’s corner was only cleared as far as Ayo Obileye,but his swerving shot was well wide.
Town began to assert themselves and a low left footed drive from Josh Falkingham forced the Magpies keeper, Carl Pentney into a diving save.
Kelvin Langmead pushed forward to head a George Thomson corner wide,while at the other end, Callum Howe had to be quick off the blocks to stop a dangerous run by Alan Massey.
A foul by Lloyd Kerry on Comley gave the visitors an opportunity from twentyfive yards out,but once again,Obileye skyed over Town’s bar.
Town began to take a grip on the game,and Falkingham and Ryan Fallowfield combined to set up a chance for Jack Emmett who unfortunately side-footed over the top
As the half time whistle approached,Emmett turned provider with a excellent centre to Jack Muldoon,but his header was off target.
A foul by Seth Nana-Twunasi on Thomson in the dying seconds of the half,gave Town a free kick which Thomson skimmed into the box,but Warren Burrell’s header was wde of the upright.
However,it took Town only eight minutes of the second half to breach the Magpies defence for the deciding goal.
Falkingham found Muldoon with an astute free kick and he, in, turn, released Thomson down the left.
The winger then hit a superb cross to the far post where Beck was waiting to head across goal into the back of the net.
Another Thomson free kick reached Muldoon but his glancing header was easily dealt with bi Pentney.
Maidenhead brought on sub, Max Worsfold,and he began to exploit space on the left to put in a series of dangerous crosses.
Then, on sixty-four minutes,a Worsfold free kick was met by the head of Ryan Upward,but as the ball sailed goalwards James Belshaw flung himself to his right to make a brilliant one handed save in the mould of the late Gordon Banks.
That was the Magpies final threat and although Beck and Muldoon went close for Town,the final whistle went with the score still 1-0,a result which puts Town back up to sixth place.
Town
Belshaw,Fallowfield,FalkinghMan of the Match, Falkinghamam,Howe Burrell,Thomson,Emmett,Beck,Langmead,Kerry,Muldoon.
Unused subs,Senior,Leesley,Cracknell,Agnew,Williams.
Scorer Beck 53. Booked Kerry Att.1105
Town Man of the Match Falkingham
Maidenhead, Pentney,Clerima,Speer,Obileye,Comley(Odametey74),Nana-Twumasi,Clifton,Akintunde(Worsfold62),Upward,Massey,Nombe(Kelly62).
Unused subs,Alves,Owusu Booked Steer,Nana-Twumasi,Upward
Referee D Middleton
By John Harrison
