Harrogate Town 3 – 1 Solihull Moors

26 August 2018

Two goals in the last fifteen minutes made certain of victory for Town, in an intriguing match at the CNG Stadium.
Town were once again unchanged,but Mark Beck made a welcome return to the subs bench.
An early sighter from Moor’s,Danny Wright,sailed harmlessly past the angle of post and bar,but it was Town who soon drew first blood.
Jack Emmett won a corner on the right and Joe Leesley’s kick found Dom Knowles unmarked in the box,Knowles’ header was knocked over the line by Liam Kitching,to give Town a seventh minute lead.
Unfortunately,Town’s joy was short lived,because Moors hit back within three minutes when Adi Yussuf’s powerful drive from close range beat James Belshaw and made it all square.

 

The game began to flow from end to end,and visiting keeper,Ryan Boot, had to dive bravely at Jack Muldoon’s feet to prevent Town restoring their lead.
The tall Moor’s team were posing an aerial threat and Kelvin Langmead and Callum Howe were kept busy in the home defence.
Although,Darren Carter went close with well struck free kick and Yussuf headed a Jamie Reckord cross narrowly wide,it was Town who finished the half the stronger
A Josh Falkingham cross was deflected to Knowles and Boot did well to block at the near post.
A foul by Kyle Storer on Leesley,gave Town a free kick but Thomson’s effort was blocked by the Moor’s wall.
Next it was Falkingham’s turn to by fouled on the edge of the area,but once again,Thomson’s effort was cleared by the Moor’s defence.
Town had the bit between their teeth and a delightful reverse pass from Knowles set up Falkingham,but his shot from the edge of the box flashed straight at Boot.
The last action of the half saw a superbly timed tackle from Langmead stop Yussuf in his tracks as the visiting forward threatened to break clear.
Two early Town corners after the break stretched the Moor’s defence, and Muldoon almost made it two when his touch from Langmead’s header hit the post from close range.
Warren Burrell,then saved Town’s blushes, with an excellent tackle on Yussuf after he had intercepted a loose pass from Falkingham,but it was Town who broke the deadlock.
A break down the left by Leesley,ended with a pass to Thomson who cut inside and beat Boot with a low shot inside the near post.
Lloyd Kerry and Mark Beck replaced Emmett and Muldoon and the tall Town striker soon won Town a corner on the right.
Leesley’s inswinging corner to the far post was met by Howe who headed into the Moor’s net to give Town a hard fought victory.
In fact,Town could have increased their lead in the dying minutes with Beck heading wide and Kerry testing Boot with a lob from fully forty yards.
So its on to AFC Fylde on Bank Holiday Monday,where hopefully Town can stretch their unbeaten run.
Town,
Belshaw,Burrell,Howe,Langmead,Kitching,Falkingham,Emmett(Kerry 59),Thomson,Leesley,Muldoon,(Beck 68),
Knowles(Agnew 83).
Unused subs,Cracknell,Williams    Booked Leesley
Scorers,Kitching 7,Thomson 75,Howe 78.              Man of the Match Howe.
Solihull Moors,
Boot,Williams,Reckord,Storer,Daly,Osborne,Carter(Maxwell 81),Yussuf(Grudger 79),Hylton(Sweeney85),Wright,O’Keefe.
Unused subs,Carline,Murphy.
Scorer Yussuf 10.                 Booked Maxwell              Att.1180
Referee Leigh Doughty.
By John Harrison.

 

 

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