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Match Reports

Town 2 Gainsborough 0

24 March 2018

Harrogate Town recorded a seventh straight home league win courtesy of a 2-0 success over Gainsborough Trinity.

Jack Emmett's eighth goal of the season opened the scoring after 18 minutes, but Town needed James Belshaw at his best to keep their lead intact.

Mark Beck tapped home Town's second in the 66th minute after great work down the right by Warren Burrell to seal the win.

Simon Weaver made one change from last weekend's trip to Tamworth as Ben Parker replaced Louie Swain, who missed out due to a hamstring injury.

Town started on the front foot, but it was Gainsborough who went close to scoring first as Liam Kitching's sliced clearance flashed past the face of goal and behind for a corner.

Four minutes later the visitors found themselves three on one on the counter attack, though James Belshaw beat away Nathan Jarman's finish.

Town broke the deadlock after 18 minutes of play when a clever touch by Dom Knowles released Emmett behind the defence, who beat Henrich Ravas from a difficult angle.

Knowles almost doubled the hosts lead six minutes later after turning neatly and trying to find the far corner with a low drive, but Ravas tipped past the post.

Mark Beck struck the woodwork just past the half hour mark after his header from Joe Leesley's cross was tipped onto the cross bar, though the striker was deemed offside.

Seconds later Trinity almost pulled level as Ben Hinchcliffe stole possession just outside Town's area and hit a ferocious shot towards goal, though Belshaw showed great reactions to tip over the bar one handed.

Both sides exchanged chances in the closing stages of the first half with Emmett's low cross almost being turned in, before Nathan Stainfield headed a corner over the bar at the other end.

Two minutes after the restart George Thonson went agonizingly close to finding the back of the net when cutting inside on his left foot and striking the inside of the post, with Leesley unable to turn in the follow up on the stretch.

It could have been level soon after though as Belshaw did well to keep out Nathan Jarman's strike, and even better to smother Hinchcliffe's rebound.

It was then the turn of Leesley to keep Gainsborough out as the winger hooked the ball from the goalline when defending a corner.

Despite the visitors going close it was Town who struck next as Warren Burrell burst into the area from right back and squared to Beck to tap home.

The goal looked to take the wind out of the Trinity sails, whose constant attacking threat had been nullified since going two goals behind.

In the last of the action, substitute Jordan Thewlis sprinted through on goal before being brought down from behind, fairly though according to the referee.

There was still time deep in stoppage time for Liam Agnew to test the goalkeeper's hands after volleying Thewlis' cross towards goal, but the substitute was flagged offside.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Burrell, Parker, Falkingham, Kitching, McCombe, Thomson (Agnew 82), Emmett, Beck, Knowles (Wright 76), Leesley (Thewlis 79)

Subs not used: Cracknell, Fallowfield

Goals: Emmett 18, Beck 66

Gainsborough Trinity: Ravas, Jacklin, Fleming, Clarke, Beatson, Stainfield, Richards (Davie 68), King, Jarman, Hinchcliffe (Simmons 74), Walker

Subs not used: Evans, Russell, Storey

Referee: P Brown

Attendance: 1179

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