A large crowd at a damp Wetherby Road saw Town come from behind to maintain their position as leaders of the National League.
An unchanged Town mounted an early attack, but were nearly undone when a long clearance was cleverly laid off by Havant’s, Nicke Kabamba, to Aaron Cosgrove who broke down the right and shot over Town’s crossbar.
Unfortunately for Town, with only six minutes on the clock, Kabamba picked up a pass just outside the area and rifled a shot past James Belshaw into the corner of the net to give the Hawks the lead.
Town countered immediately, with Warren Burrell turning a Joe Leesley centre back across goal, which produced a smart turn and shot from Jack Muldoon but it flashed the wrong side of the upright.
However, Town did not have to wait long to draw level,because on twelve minutes, Dom Knowles won a corner and Callum Howe ventured forward to head Leesley’s kick past visiting keeper, Ryan Young, into the net.
The Hawks’, Theo Lewis,drilled a long shot over Town’s bar,while at the other end Muldoon latched on to a measured Lloyd Kerry cross,but his volley sailed into the terracing behind the goal.
Next, the ever dangerous Kabamba broke through the Town defence but lashed a superb cross shot just wide of the far upright.
The Hawks had the first chance of the second half,but Kelvin Langmead cleared a dangerous Rory Williams centre with a diving header.
A curling shot by Dom Knowles from Muldoon’s pass just cleared the Hawks bar,but minutes later Town took the lead for the first time.
The Havant defence failed to deal with a George Thomson corner from the left and Knowles turned the ball into the net from a tight angle.
Five minutes later, Town struck again when Knowles provided a low cross which Muldoon tapped in from close range.
Harrogate looked to be in an unassailable position,but the south coasters had other ideas!
On sixtythree minutes,the excellent Kabamba took advantage of a Town defensive error and calmly chipped the ball over Belshaw into the net to reduce the margin to one.
Town sent on all three subs to try to ensure victory and Levi Sutton and Aaron Williams both fashioned late chances for Leesley,but his efforts were off target.
A series of centres into the Town box were repelled by the heads of Howe, Kitching and Langmead and Town easily saw out five minutes of added time to preserve their unbeaten record.
Town
Belshaw,Howe,Burrell(c),Thomson,Knowles(Beck 70),Leesley,Agnew(Sutton 84),Langmead,Kerry,Muldoon(Williams 82),Kitching.
Unused subs,Parker,Cracknell. Bookings Kerry,Leesley. Att 1709 Man of Match Howe.
Scorers,Howe 12,Knowles 52,Muldoon 57.
Havant and Waterlooville
Young,Strugnell(Sekajja 64),Williams,Woodford,Harris,Lewis,Kabamba,Cosgrave(Pavey 75),Huggins,A Roinson(Simpson 64),P Robinson.
Unused subs,Tarbuck,Rutherford.
Scorer Kabamba 6,63.
Referee M Woods.
By John Harrison.
@JohnHar59276371
