Saturday 24th January 2009Conference North
Harrogate Town 3-3 Stafford Rangers
Attendance: 338
Cracking match played on a very heavy Wetherby Road pitch.
Harrogate went in at half time 2-0 up, courtesy of two stunning strikes, the first a 20 yard dipping volley from Danny Holland on 27 minutes and the second on 40 minutes, a shot from just inside the penalty area which was curled beyond the keeper into the bottom corner by James Dean. There were numerous other chances for Harrogate as they dominated possession and Stafford rarely got out of their own half.
The second half started as if it was going to be a continuation of where the first half left off, but on 56 minutes Stafford won a free kick on the edge of the box, which was curled over the wall and into the top corner by Chris Flynn. Stafford then seem to have the edge for a few minutes and missed a good opportunity to level, but the Harrogate keeper saved well.
Harrogate stepped it up again and it looked like they were going to extend their lead and kill the game off, but failed to do so. Then would you believe in the 85th minute Stafford won another free kick on the edge of the box and Flynn only went and repeated the trick! Even more unbelievable was a minute later when Stafford got themselves in front. A defender failed to control the ball 35 yards from goal and knocked it straight to Dorryl Proffatt, who, on seeing the keeper off his line, proceed to lob to ball over him and into the net to give Stafford what looked like an unlikely three points.
However in the third minute off stoppage time Stafford conceded a free kick on the edge of their box and it was Nathan Peat who fired it home, via a big deflection, to salvage a point, which was the very least Harrogate deserved.
Harrogate went in at half time 2-0 up, courtesy of two stunning strikes, the first a 20 yard dipping volley from Danny Holland on 27 minutes and the second on 40 minutes, a shot from just inside the penalty area which was curled beyond the keeper into the bottom corner by James Dean. There were numerous other chances for Harrogate as they dominated possession and Stafford rarely got out of their own half.
The second half started as if it was going to be a continuation of where the first half left off, but on 56 minutes Stafford won a free kick on the edge of the box, which was curled over the wall and into the top corner by Chris Flynn. Stafford then seem to have the edge for a few minutes and missed a good opportunity to level, but the Harrogate keeper saved well.
Harrogate stepped it up again and it looked like they were going to extend their lead and kill the game off, but failed to do so. Then would you believe in the 85th minute Stafford won another free kick on the edge of the box and Flynn only went and repeated the trick! Even more unbelievable was a minute later when Stafford got themselves in front. A defender failed to control the ball 35 yards from goal and knocked it straight to Dorryl Proffatt, who, on seeing the keeper off his line, proceed to lob to ball over him and into the net to give Stafford what looked like an unlikely three points.
However in the third minute off stoppage time Stafford conceded a free kick on the edge of their box and it was Nathan Peat who fired it home, via a big deflection, to salvage a point, which was the very least Harrogate deserved.
I suspect that both teams will reflect on this game afterwards and think, how the hell did we draw that? but for entirely differing reasons, but for the neutral a fantastic afternoons entertainment.
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