Blyth Spartans 3 Harrogate Town 3
29th August 2011
Croft Park.
Att: 559
Harrogate Town came away with a 3-3 draw in a feisty match at Croft Park.
After ex Town player Graeme Armstrong missed an early chance to give Spartans the lead, when he headed Phil Cave’s cross at Mark Cook, Town struck twice in two minutes.
On four minutes a Jake Picton free kick was won by Ian Ross and his centre was glanced in by Peter Bore.
Hardly had the Town cheering died down, before Callum Hassan headed in from close range, after Paul Brayson’s cross had been returned across goal by Steve Turnbull.
Blyth, with a strong breeze at their backs, began to threaten.
Armstrong fired a warning shot across the visitor’s bows when he shot narrowly wide after Town failed to clear.
But on twenty minutes Town were punished when centre half Dave Coulson pushed forward to head home a Neal Hook corner.
Cook tipped Wayne Buchanan’s header over the bar,then dealt with a Coulson volley as Spartans began to dominate.
It was no surprise when on twentyfive minutes Dan Groves swept the ball home after Cook could only parry Armstrong’s shot.
As half time approached Town rallied with Hassan just failing to force home an Ian Ross free kick and a Brayson cross bounced off the home crossbar.
Referee Glen Hart struggled to control a match that threatened to boil over, issuing eight yellow cards and finally sending off Blyth’s Wayne Phillips for a second bookable offence, after a clash with Ross.
With twenty minutes left Laurie Wilson put Town in front when he drove in Lee Elam’s pass, from the edge of the area.
However, ten man Spartans, roared on by a partisan crowd, who were incensed that Richard Pell and Cook were only booked after both had brought down Armstrong when he appeared to be clean through, fought back.
A Chris Emms free kick brought a brilliant save out of Cook, but with only five minutes left Armstrong dispossessed Pell and found the unmarked Coulson who gratefully hammered in from close range.
Harrogate had one last chance to force a win, but Brayson could only hit an injury time free kick over the bar.
Match report by John Harrison.
Harrogate Town: Cook, Wright, Radcliffe, Wilson, Picton (Pell 55), Heckingbottom, Bore (Elam 60), Ross, Brayson, Hassan (Turl 83) Turnbull
Subs unused: Hardy, Nowakowski
Click here for Simon Weaver’s post match comments on Radio York.
Click here for match report from the Harrogate Advertiser.
