Harrogate Town progressed to the First Round Proper, of the Emirates F A Cup,after a superb victory at the Shay Stadium, Halifax.
Harrogate made a lightening start and Mark Beck was inches away from connecting with an early Ryan Fallowfield cross, but within eight minutes the Wetherby Roaders had taken the lead.
A Brendan Kiernan centre from the right was headed against his own crossbar by Josh Staunton and Beck raced in to smash home the rebound.
Town were playing some superlative football and the impressive Jack Diamond headed just over the bar after a dangerous cross from skipper, Josh Falkingham.
The Shaymen at last began to show glimpses of their League form and Jerome Binnom-Williams headed a Michael Duckworth cross wide of Town’s far post.
Town almost doubled their lead five minutes before the break when Diamond ran through the home defence and crashed a shot against the legs of keeper, Sam Johnson. The ball rebounded to Falkingham on the edge of the area, but his shot whistled narrowly over the bar.
Town had dominated the first period,but the concern was that they only had one goal to show for their endeavours.
Halifax manager, Pete Wild, sent his men out early for the second half, and within a minute of the restart they had equalised.
A low cross from the right evaded the retreating Harrogate defenders, leaving Niall Maher to sidefoot in at the far post.
Halifax were rampant and Maher’s diving header from a corner went just wide of Town’s woodwork.
Dayle Southwell was next to threaten when he unleashed a vicious cross shot across Town’s goal.
However, Town weathered the storm and on fiftyfour minutes they scored the deciding goal when a throw in found Jack Muldoon and he whipped in a low centre which Beck flicked past Johnson from close range.
Both sides had chances as the game was keenly contested, with Duckworth forcing James Belshaw to save at the near post and Diamond having a well struck drive deflected for a corner.
Halifax brought on all three subs and one of them,Jamie Allen,created an excellent chance for Tobi Sho-Silva,but luckily for Harrogate he scooped his effort well over the bar.
Town easily saw out the four minutes added time and eagerly await Monday evening’s draw to see who they will meet in the First Round Proper.
Town,
Belshaw,W Smith,Hall,G Smith,Burrell,Falkingham,Kiernan(Thomson 81),Diamond,Beck,Muldoon(Stead 85)
Unused subs,Cracknell,Taylor,Brown,Emmett,Bradley.
Scorer Beck 8,54.
Bookings Burrell, Fallowfield,Thomson,Diamond.
F C Halifax,
Johnson,Duckworth,Binnom-Williams,Clarke,Nolan,Southwell(Allen 68),Sho-Sliva,Staunton,McAlinden,Cooper(J King 77),Maher(Earing 79).
Unused subs, Appleyard,Hanson.
Scorer,Maher 46 Att.1241(inc 228 away)
Booking J King
Referee A Miller
