Harrogate Town AFC

A brace from Alex Pattison secured the points this afternoon as Town came from behind to take all three points from a 2-1 victory at home to Barrow.

Offranda Zanzala had the put the visitors ahead in the first-half but strikes in the 59^th and 80^th minutes maintained Town's 100% start to the season.

The win was just reward for Simon Weaver's side who came into the game with little preparation under their belts and the postponement of games against Leyton Orient and Crawley.

Town made two changes to the side that defeated Rochdale a fortnight ago with Lewis Page replacing Ryan Fallowfield and Danilo Orsi coming in for Simon Power to make his competitive debut for the club. Barrow came into the side unchanged following their home goalless draw against Exeter in midweek.

The game had barely kicked off when Page went down following a clash of heads that forced a five minute stoppage as his facial cut was attended to. Although me managed to continue his afternoon was curtailed soon after when the injury forced him off and Fallowfield entered the fray.

With play back up and running Town forced the first opening when Orsi got a shot away from just inside the area, but his effort lacked the power to trouble Paul Farman in the visitors goal.

Less than a minute later though and Town found themselves behind. Patrick Brough's cross from the left evaded a hesitant Town defence with Zanzala profiting at the far post for his second goal of the season.

Town responded well though. A neat move between Orsi and Luke Armstrong saw the latter have a shot tipped over by Farman.

Farman then scrambled the ball to safety after he had initially fumbled George Thomson's strike with Armstrong poised to pounce.

Despite Town's positive passages of play Barrow posed a threat on the counter and one such break set up Ollie Banks but he hit high and wide from the edge of the area after finding himself with plenty of space.

To loud cheers from the home crowd Farman played himself into the referee's book for persistent time wasting, with goalscorer Zanzala following soon after.

With eight minutes of added time Town had the opportunity to get on level terms before the break and Connor Hall almost netted when his double effort on goal was blocked by a grateful Bluebirds defence.

The visitors were looking to build on their lead in the early stages of the second with Brough's effort narrowly deflected behind for a corner.

Kay's probing run then took him beyond the Town defence but to his cost he opted to cut back inside which allowed Fallowfield to clear the danger.

Both sides made a change on 58 minutes with goalscorer Zanzala replaced by Kgose Ntihe and Lloyd Kerry introduced for Orsi.

And less than a minute Town were level. A break down the right hand side freed Pattison, whose shot took a looping deflection that outfoxed Farman to drop into the far corner.

George Williams was introduced for the Bluebirds and with his first touch of the game almost restored their lead when his strike forced Oxley into a smart save low to his left.

It was Pattison and Town who won the day though when with ten minutes remaining he picked the ball up and drove at the Barrow defence before firing low and hard under Farman.

Despite being stung by the late strike and having five additional minutes Barrow were unable to create the opportunity needed to find a way back into the game and the final whistle brought rapturous celebrations from the home players and crowd.

TOWN: Oxley, Burrell, Page McArdle, Hall, Thomson, Falkingham, Pattinson, Muldoon, Orsi (Kerry, 58), Armstrong (Martin, 87)

Subs not used: Cracknell, Sheron, Smith.
Booked: Fallowfield (45+7)

Goals: Pattison (59, 80)

Barrow: Farman, Brown, Brough, Ellis, Zanzala (Ntihe, 58), Kay (James, 76), Gordon, White (Williams, 68), Grayson (Arthur, 89), Hutton, Banks.

Subs not used: Taylor, Jones, Maloney.

Booked: Farman (42), Zanzala (45+3), Banks (69)

Goal: Zanzala (17)

Referee: Trevor Kettle.