Harrogate Town opinion: Boxing Day win over Grimsby Town proves my daughter is not cursed

I always look forward to Boxing Day football, especially if my team’s at home. A morning of not doing much in particular, a delicious lunch of left-overs from Christmas dinner and a gentle stroll to the ground.

The enforced three week lay-off due to the cold weather has only increased the anticipation. Much as I enjoyed the thrilling finale to the World Cup, you can’t beat watching your own team in the flesh in front of a sizeable bank holiday crowd.

I’m also conscious of the fact that, with my daughter hitting 17 and applying for university, this may be the last time I attend a Boxing Day match with her.

She’s only attended about half the home matches this season due to work commitments and hasn’t seen us win at Wetherby Road yet, although she did go to Valley Parade for our FA Cup success over Bradford City. Whatever the outcome, I’m determined to enjoy it.

Prior to the bad weather, Town had scored seven goals in two games, and it seems like they’re going to continue where they left off in a fast start. Twelve minutes in, Sam Folarin beats Grimsby left-back Danny Amos all too easily and squares for Luke Armstrong to prod home from two yards.

It all goes downhill from there as the visitors grow into the game. We’ve had a couple of warnings down the right flank, Warren Burrell being alert enough to clear the danger on both occasions, yet it’s third time unlucky as Otis Khan gets on the end of a cross from dangerous visiting full-back Michee Efete. Thankfully he turns out not to be as good defensively…

Suddenly Town seem open at the back and the visitors look dangerous every time they run at us, seemingly shooting at will. The only excitement, from a Harrogate point of view, is when Kayne Ramsay takes out a Mariners player with a high tackle on the touch line in front of the away bench and it all kicks off.

It was late and clumsy, but not malicious, even so other referees may have shown red in view of the reaction from the Grimsby bench.

Ramsay and the visiting goalkeeper, Max Crocombe, pick up a yellow card each - the goalkeeper presumably because he was the only visiting player to stand out in the melee in his bright orange kit.

Little do we realise it at the time, but it’s these two who will decide the game.

Town ride it out until half-time and come out in the second-half with a bit more intent, only to be dealt a hammer blow three minutes in. The players look deflated, struggling to get anything going again.

Josh Coley creates one golden chance for Folarin, but he directs his free header wide. You can see some legs are tiring. A change is sorely needed and it duly arrives with the introduction of Jack Muldoon on 65 minutes.

Nothing happens for another 10 minutes, so conversation between my daughter and I turns to the new snazzy scoreboard standing slightly less proudly in the corner since the visitors took the lead.

“Do you think it can stand the impact of a ball hitting it?” she wonders out loud.

“I would have thought they’ll have considered that and it’ll be toughened,” I reply, no clue whatsoever. Doubtless we’ll find out at some stage.

Molly’s talking about leaving early to make sure she’s at work by 5.30pm.

And then the game turns on a punt out of defence, one moment of sublime skill and a touch of luck.

A Joe Mattock clearance heads in the direction of Muldoon, closely marked by Efete. The Grimsby full-back heads towards the ball, but Muldoon reads the bounce and dummies the other way.

Scrambling to keep up, Efete adjusts again to challenge, and Muldoon turns the way he’s just come from before threading a delightful reverse pass into the path of Armstrong.

Mariners keeper Crocombe slips momentarily on the greasy surface and, by the time he’s recovered his position, the ball’s through his legs and nestling in the net.

The way we’ve played today I’ll happily take a point, but as Grimsby push to find a late winner, I find myself remembering all the late goals we’ve conceded at the far end over the years.

As the clock slowly nudges towards the 88th-minute mark, Molly and I head towards the exit and assume a fast getaway position under the new scoreboard: a compromise position I talked her into.

Town find a last head of steam and the introduction of Max Wright injects some late energy in front of the Black Sheep Brewery Stand. Three minutes of added time are signalled. "Good,” I exclaim, not wanting Molly to be late for work, subconsciously settling for the draw.

It's then that Josh Austerfield, bought on barely two minutes earlier to stabilise the midfield for the closing stages is the fulcrum of a delicious one-two on the edge of the penalty area.

Ramsay marauds into the box and gets a shot off which cannons off the base of the post past the out-stretched arm of Crocombe.

"Oh!” we both shout and then, although it’s only a brief moment in real time, the game seems to descend into slow motion. I was once in a car that turned over on the M62 and, when we were upside down and skidding along the tarmac, the same time-slowing-down thing happened.

Viewed along the line, from our vantage point near the corner, the ball rebounds from the post, hits the unfortunate keeper on his back and dribbles oh-so-agonisingly over the line. I find myself jumping uncontrollably up and down whilst shouting, "It’s gone in! IT’S GONE IN!” to anyone who’ll listen.

Town see it out, but not before Pete Jameson has to beat away a stinging Amos shot at the other end. We successfully defend the resulting corner and the referee blows for time.

I’d like to stay and celebrate, but we have to leave as Molly’s got to be at work in 35 minutes. We’ve seen what we needed to see, it’s by far the sweetest win of the season and it’s set my daughter’s mind to rest.

"I’ve actually seen Town win!” she exclaims as we run through the ginnel ahead of the crowds. She really thought her presence at Wetherby Road may have been the reason Town failed to do so.

Just imagine what she’d be thinking if she’d left early.