Harrogate Town 3 Grimsby Town 2: Simon Weaver hails 'great victory' for resurgent Sulphurites

Trailing 2-1 after Luke Armstrong had fired them into an early lead on a freezing cold Boxing Day afternoon, the Sulphurites dug deep during the closing stages to secure their third consecutive League Two victory.

A bit of magic by substitute Jack Muldoon created a second for Armstrong, before Kayne Ramsay drove forward from full-back to complete the turnaround in stoppage time.

"We were so determined to add to the last two wins and make it three on the bounce, because that is real momentum, and there was a bit of Boxing Day drama in the end, wasn’t there,” Town boss Simon Weaver reflected.

"I’m keen to praise the players’ attitudes because there are several feeling the effects of colds and this flu that is going around, and I’m delighted with their efforts today.

"We had a little bit of a flat spell in the second half, but then we started pouring forwards again, kept trying to pass it, trying to play our way and play through them and we went on to earn a great victory.

"The feel-good factor is there after two wins and the amount of goals we have scored recently – that’s 10 in three games now – means that there is more belief in everybody now.

"The way we set up and the way we want to play, we may concede some goals sometimes. But, it’s not about shutting the back door and hoping for the best. We are very attack-minded and we believe that we can score two or three and win games against very good teams like Grimsby.”

Despite having not kicked a ball in anger for more than three weeks following a couple weather-enforced postponements, Town began brightly and got their noses in front on 12 minutes as Sam Folarin showcased his searing pace down the right flank.

Having skinned visiting left-back Danny Amos then reached the ball just before it crossed the byline, his low cross was a gift for the unmarked Armstrong, who couldn’t miss from just a yard out.

The hosts continued to look a threat going forwards as the half progressed, Tyler Frost dragging wide after an inviting opportunity opened up for him on the edge of the box before Josh Coley’s goal-bound prod was blocked by a Mariners defender.

But from the midway point of the opening period, Harrogate’s work both in and out of possession fell off a cliff.

Guilty of giving the ball away time after time, a warning shot was fired across their bows when Otis Khan bent wide of the mark having cut inside off the Grimsby left and into a dangerous area.And the visitors would level matters just before the half-hour, Khan left with a simple first-time finish at the back post as Michee Efete delivered an inviting low centre from the right.Being pegged back wasn’t enough to spark Weaver’s men into life and they were fortunate to escape unscathed when Gavan Holohan seized on another loose pass and released Jon McAtee, who could only shoot tamely at Pete Jameson.

Town would however find themselves behind just three minutes into the second half after Joe Mattock’s clearing header into midfielder was pounced upon by Holohan.

Ex-Sulphurite Brendan Kiernan’s touch then sent McAtee in on goal and, although he hit the deck as he attempted to dance around the covering Warren Burrell, Harry Clifton was on hand to touch the ball wide of Jameson before stroking it into the gaping net.

The home response wasn’t too shabby, Folarin nodding past the post and firing wide either side of Armstrong bringing the ball out of the sky and blasting an effort across the face of goal.

But just as it seemed as if things had gone a bit flat, substitute Muldoon rolled Efete as the pair competed for a bouncing ball in midfield, then showed great awareness and real craft to slip Armstrong in behind with a cute pass.

Suddenly on fire in front of goal once again, the end result never looked in any doubt as the ex-Middlesbrough forward strode clear and confidently slotted beyond Max Crocombe with his left foot to bag his third brace in his last three league outings.

The final quarter-of-an-hour saw both sides threaten to go on and nick a decisive third goal, but it was the Sulphurites who eventually did the business in the first of three additional minutes.

Some neat build-up play on the right ended with former Southampton defender Ramsay receiving a pass from Josh Austerfield, cutting inside and taking aim with a low strike which hit the inside of the base of the post then struck the sprawling Crocombe before finding its way over the line.

Monday’s victory lifts Town up to 19th place in the League Two standings and leaves them seven points clear of the relegation zone.