Harrogate Town endured a frustrating afternoon at the Kingfield Stadium,Woking,as they went down to the only goal in a game that they dominated.
Town were unchanged from the side that defeated Barrow and moved into the attack from the kick off.
Woking survived an early goalmouth scramble,before soon afterwards,Brendan Kiernan was denied by a last ditch tackle by Moussa Diarra after he had intercepted a Craig Ross goalkick.
The decisive moment in the game arrived after nineteen minutes when Sean Donellan’s low drive from twentyfive yards clipped the heels of Connor Hall and deflected past the wrong footed,James Belshaw.
Even though Town were playing against a strong wind they were dominating possession and should have scored when Josh Falkingham found Joe Leesley on the left.The winger rounded defender Parry and his centre found Jack Muldoon whose shot was wjde of the target.
Woking hit back with Ibrahim Melte testing Belshaw with a low drive,while at the other end,Lloyd Kerry and Warren Burrell combined to set up a chance for Leesley,but he fired over the bar.
As half time beckoned,Town almost equalised when Muldoon headed Kiernan’s cross goalwards,only for Ross to tip the ball onto the underside of the crossbar.
Town,with the elements in their favour,mounted a series of attacks on the Woking goal.
A Mark Beck header was blocked on the line,as was a shot from Muldoon.
Unfortunately,Town suffered a blow when Kerry was stretchered of the field after a collision with Diarra,who also took no further part in the match.
With Falkingham pulling the strings in midfield,Town kept up the pressure,but couldn’t force the ball over the line.
Jon Stead replaced Muldoon in an attempt to increase Town’s aerial power,but the home defence
held firm.
Almost at the end of normal time,Town were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area,but Leesley’s effort sailed over the woodwork and Woking easily survived the seven minutes added time,to inflict Town’s first defeat of the season.
Woking 1 Harrogate Town 0 Att.1470
Town,
Belshaw,G Smith,Falkingham,Burrell,Beck,Leesley,Kiernan,Kerry(Emmett 66),Muldoon(Stead 74),Hall.W Smith.
Unused subs Fallowfield,Cracknell,Brown
Booked W Smith
Woking,
Ross,Parry,Gerring,Diarra(Collier 66),Cook,Poku,Ferdinand,Donnellan,Casey,Tarpey(Johnson 69),Melte(Hyde 85).
Unused subs Hawes,Hodges.
Scorer Donnellan 19 Att.1470
Referee L Smith
By John Harrison
