Harrogate Town put Saturday’s disappointment at Salford City behind them with a comprehensive victory over Stockport County.
Town made one change from Saturday’s line up,with Ben Parker replacing Louis Swain in defence.
The early running was made by Town with George Thomson and Dom Knowles shooting narrowly wide,but Stockport hit back with Jamie Stott forcing a diving save from James Belshaw with a thirty yard drive.
On twentyfour minutes,Town drew first blood, when Jack Emmett picked up a loose ball in midfield and advanced to score with a low shot which entered Ian Ormson’s goal via the inside of the far post.
Harrogate were well in command and Ormson had to pull out a string of fine saves to deny Emmett,Thomson and Simon Ainge.
However,against the run of play the “Hatters”equalised with ten minutes left in the half.
Chris Smalley pushed forward for a Stockport corner and was on hand to hook the ball into the corner of the net,after Stott’s initial shot rebounded to him.
Unfortunately for the Hatters,four minutes later,Thomson restored Town’s lead with a tremendous strike from the edge of the area after Joe Leesley’s free kick was only half cleared.
After the break,Stockport pushed James Bell forward and he twice broke through the middle ,once to be thwarted by the advancing Belshaw and secondly to fire wide of the upright.
On the hour, Town stretched their lead with a goal of the highest quality.
Man of the Match,Emmett, found Knowles on the right of the penalty area and he turned his marker before curling a shot high into the far corner.
The dangerous Darren Stephenson,foraged down the right and lobbed over Town’s goal as County tried to claw their way back into the game.
Town put the result beyond doubt with a goal with just over twenty minutes left,when Leesley’s deep corner to the far post was headed in by Terry Kennedy.
The rest of the game was an anti climax,although the excellent Osman had to save bravely at the feet of Knowles after an exquisite dink over the Hatter’s defence from Emmett.
Town
Belshaw,Fallowfield(Kitching 51),Parker,Falkingham,Kennedy(Agnew 70),Burrell,Thomson,Emmett,Ainge(c),Knowles(Thewlis 74),Leesley.
Unused subs,Cracknell,Beck. Bookings Thomson,Kitching. Man of the Match, Emmett.
Scorers,Emmett 24,Thomson 39,Knowles 59,Kennedy 67.
Stockport
Ormson,Cowan,O’Halloran(McKenna 62),Ball,Smalley,Stott,Thomas,Winter(c),Oswell(Duxbury 45),Stopforth(Dixon 75),Stephenson.
Unused subs,
Warburton,Hinchliffe,
Scorer,Smalley 35
Att.882
Referee R Wootton
By John Harrison.
