Barnet FC 1 Harrogate Town 1: Another 'good' away point for struggling Sulphurites
With Harrogate Town currently enduring their most difficult moment as a Football League club, Simon Weaver deemed Saturday’s point at Barnet as a “good” one.
Jack Muldoon’s 78th-minute header proved sufficient to save the injury-hit Sulphurites from what would have been a seventh defeat in eight matches, though it wasn’t enough to lift them out of the League Two relegation zone.
But, with nine senior players unavailable for selection and their opponents having fared pretty well since winning the National League title last term, Harrogate’s manager was left satisfied by a 1-1 draw at The Hive.
"It was a good stride forward for us today,” Weaver said. “I think that this is a good point, and that the lads deserved it. It gives us something to build on.
"With us, the run we have been on, and everyone we have in the medical room, it’s been difficult. But it is about strength of character and grabbing a point. If it is scruffy sometimes, so what?
"That’s two away games, Barnet and Notts County, two hard games when you have nine out. These are nine good players as well, not inexperienced players.
“And we are digging in. We have been weakened as a squad, but have shown a lot of strength in the last two away games.”
Town made a bright start to Saturday’s contest and fit-again Conor McAleny twice came close to giving them an early lead, firing just wide before drawing an excellent save from Bees stopper Cieran Slicker.
James Belshaw was then forced into action by a long-range strike by Barnet’s former £15 million striker Britt Assombalonga.
And the ex-Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough forward then showed why he was able to score so many goals at Championship level during his career.
A mix-up between Levi Sutton and Warren Burrell presented Assombalonga with the ball just outside the Town box, and he curled a superb finish beyond Belshaw and into the bottom corner.
Things then seemed set to get worse for the Sulphurites when Idris Kanu went down inside the penalty under minimal contact from Reece Smith, and referee Elliott Swallow awarded the softest of spot-kicks.
But, Belshaw went the right way and made a good save to thwart Mark Shelton from 12 yards.
After the break, Belshaw again did well to deny Lee Ndlovu, before Kanu fired narrowly over.
And, having managed to stay in the contest, Town drew level when Bryn Morris kept a Smith corner alive and Anthony O’Connor’s overhead kick found Muldoon, who nodded in from close range.
Both sides had chances to snatch a late winner. Substitute Shawn McCoulsky threatened for Harrogate, while Barnet’s Oli Hawkins went close with a header, and Rhys Browne saw an effort blocked on the goal-line.
“I thought that the lads merited a point,” Weaver added. “The way we set off, I thought that we could get all three, because the first 15-20 minutes we were right on the front foot, playing some really good football.
"You wouldn’t have thought that we were in the relegation zone at the minute because our confidence levels were good.
“Barnet scored out of the blue with a brilliant finish, but we contributed to that moment because of our moment of hesitation. I feel for the lads, though, because they were punished for their first mistake in the game, and he [Assombalonga] has put it in from 20 yards out.
"It did upset us a little bit, which is understandable, but then we came out fighting in the second half.”
Saturday’s result leaves 23-placed Town winless in eight matches, but sees them move to within a point of safety.