Harrogate Town AFC

A stunning  first-half display from Town swept aside Scunthorpe United en-route to a comprehensive 6-1 victory in front of a home league record attendance of 3,180.

The goals – a brace apiece from Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon sandwiching a Jack Diamond effort in the first-half and a Danilo Orsi after the break – saw Town maintain second place in the table and close the gap on leaders Forest Green Rovers to a single point.

Despite conceding after the break to a Harry Davis header Town maintained control of the game in clinical fashion and added a sixth to ensure they ended a perfect afternoon as top scorers in the division having now netted 23 times so far this season.

There were four changes from Simon Weaver to the side that secured progression in the Papa John's Trophy in midweek, with Mark Oxley returning in goal and Connor Hall, Alex Pattison and Luke Armstrong coming in for Nathan Sheron, Lloyd Kerry and Orsi.

Town served notice early when from a George Thomson corner Hall's header was cleared off the line with a similar outcome minutes later when Will Smith's effort was diverted away from danger.

Their positive start was rewarded on eight minutes though when a sweeping move resulted in a Jack Diamond cross to the far post. His ball was met by the on rushing Ryan Fallowfield but his header cannoned off the bar but Muldoon was on hand to apply the finish.

If Scunthorpe harboured any hope of ending a miserable record that had seen them go 45 games without a win away from when conceding first their job was made doubly-hard on 14 minutes. Diamon out-muscled his opponent to win possession and Muldoon's inch-perfect pass freed Pattison to strike beyond Rory Watson.

Diamond was the creator just two minutes later when his solo run took him to the edge of the area where he fired past Watson to make it 3-0.

Frustrations were boiling over the Iron by now and Alfie Beestin's late lunge on Thomson earned him a deserved yellow.

Luke Armstrong then got in on the act when his run down the right saw him whip in a low cross that just evaded Muldoon at the near post.

That man Diamond was involved again for Town's fourth with a marauding run saw him release Pattison at the perfect moment to sweep home for his fifth of the season.

Town did suffer a blow before half-time when Falkingham was forced off through injury with the skipper replaced by Kerry in the centre of midfield.

And Kerry's long range effort tested Watson further in the Iron goal with the beleaguered stopper palming the ball away.

On the stroke of half-time though Pattison's clever chip over the top of the visitors defence was met by the unmarked Muldoon to loop a header over Watson for Town's  fifth.

Town's advantage allowed them to make unenforced changes early in the second half with goalscorers Muldoon and Pattison replaced by Orsi and Simon Power.

The visitors made their first change of the afternoon on the hour mark with Aaron Jarvis replacing Ryan Loft.
Scunthorpe then forced a rare corner of the game when Devarn Green's effort deflected behind off Connor Hall.

The visitors threat was short lived with Town launching another attacking foray to counter the danger that resulted in Louis Thompson being booked for pulling back Power.

The second-half performance from the visitors was nothing if not spirited and there was a degree of consolation when Davis powered a header beyond Oxley to ever so slightly reduce the arrears.

The five-goal lead was restored shortly after though when Thompson was adjudged to have pulled back Orsi in the box. To add insult to injury, he received his second yellow card to reduce Scunthorpe to ten men. Orsi picked himself to convert the spot-kick to make it 6-1.

In the final moments Thomson almost made it seven but he couldn't quite get the ball from under his feet and the visitors defence managed to scramble the ball clear.

TOWN: Oxley, Fallowfield, Burrell, Smith, Hall, Thomson, Falkingham (Kerry, 37), Pattison (Power, 57), Diamond, Muldoon (Orsi, 57), Armstrong.

Subs not used: Cracknell, Sheron.

Goals: Muldoon (8, 45), Pattison (14, 31), Diamond (16), Oris (82, pen)

Scunthorpe United: Watson, Millen, Taft, Green, Beestin, Loft (Jarvis, 62) Hippolyte, Wood, Thompson, Scrimshaw (Hallam, 67), Davis.

Subs not used: Collins, O'Malley, Rowe, Pugh, Hackney.

Booked: Beestin (19), Thompson (69)

Sent off: Thompson (81).

Referee: Thomas Bramall

Attendance: 3,180