Harrogate 2 AFC Telford 1 - Report and pictures

Telford were in the game throughout but conceded in each half, as first Joe Leesley fired home from range, before Simon Ainge nodded in a second just after the break.

Rob Edwards’ Bucks did push to get one back, but it didn’t come until the 89th minute from Jordan Murphy, and by that time the game was gone.

Edwards made three changes and went to four at the back in an attempt to tighten the defence, after leaking five against York City.

Apart from a minor blip inside five minutes when a free kick evaded the Bucks defence to find Leesley who fluffed his lines, the visitors looked relatively comfortable against their high flying hosts.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake came close to an opener on ten minutes, before the lively John Marsden’s shot was deflected just over.

For a side who were sitting in second place in the National League North and had notched up 81 goals in all competitions, the chances weren’t coming as freely as Harrogate would have liked.

On-loan stopper Ryan Schofield was seldom troubled in the opening half hour, apart from tame strikes from Leesley and George Thomson which he gathered easily.

The visitors seemed comfortable and if anything were the side most likely to score.

Ryan Wilson had a long range shot, before the ball fell for Marcus Dinanga in the box, but the striker short of form produced an air shot and the chance went.

Then 33 minutes in and against the run of play, the home side show why they are mixing it with the top teams this season.

Telford failed to clear a succession of crosses and Leesley cut in from the left and gave Schofield no chance, as he curled a shot into the postage stamp.

Dinanga went close to levelling five minutes later, but he was denied by James Belshaw.

A chance a piece in stoppage time almost turned the game as Jack Emmett lashed over, before Ebanks-Blake’s wayward pass for Dwyer on the break came to nothing.

The old football cliché was sure to have rung around the Telford dressing room at half time. The next goal is crucial.

Unfortunately for Edwards’ men, it went the home sides way as they carved open the visitors with a superb move.

A combination of one touch passing found Emmett, who crossed for the skipper Ainge to head back across goal and in.

Following the goal Telford were on the ropes and could have crumbled like against York in their last outing, but the rallied and steadied the ship.

On the break they were huffing and puffing, but every time it was without success.

Connor Johnson twice headed wide from Ellis Deeney corners, and Jordan Lussey had a shot deflected wide.

It should have been all over bar the shouting 20 minutes from time, as substitute Mark Beck towered over Wilson and crashed a header off the cross bar.

Telford did ride their luck at times late on, but did go close themselves as a long range Dwyer effort went inches wide.

After pushing to find the net, the Bucks finally did a minute from time and set up a grandstand finish.

Deeney’s corner was headed off the post by Shane Sutton, and Murphy was there to head home the re-bound.

It was too little too late though as Harrogate hung on and Telford dropped into the bottom two, after Gainsborough’s win at Alfreton.

Teams

Harrogate (4-1-2-1-2): Belshaw, Middleton, Parker, Falkingham, Kennedy, Burrell, Thomson (Agnew), Emmett, Ainge (Beck 65), Knowles (Threwlis 72), Leesley

Subs not used: Kitching, Cracknell

Telford (4-2-3-1): Schofield, White, Wilson, Johnson, Sutton, Deeney, Marsden (Cowans 70), Lussey (Leonard 78), Ebanks-Blake (Murphy 53), Dinanga, Dwyer

Subs not used: Leak, Singh

Man of the Match: John Marsden 7/10 – Midfielder was key in most Telford moves before he went off 20 minutes from time.

Attendance: 1,034