George Thomson hailed as a 'legend' by Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver following stunning strike at Hartlepool United

The 29-year-old made a landmark 250th appearance for the Sulphurites against Bradford City in midweek as their three-match League Two winning run was ended by a 1-0 defeat.

But his 251st Town outing saw him pop up with a moment of outstanding quality to earn the Wetherby Road outfit a valuable away point in a thrilling New Year’s Day encounter.

Ahead early on through Alex Pattison, the visitors were trailing 3-2 in the 73rd minute of the game when Jaheim Headley’s corner was cleared to Thomson on the right-hand corner of the Hartlepool penalty area.

Striking the ball on the bounce, he lasered the sweetest of finishes through a crowded box and into the far corner of the net, leaving home custodian Ben Killip with no chance.

“It was a great equaliser. Another great goal for George Thomson,” Weaver reflected.

“He’s just one of the legends in a team that’s progressed so much over the last few years.

“You’ve got to put him up there in the same bracket as Falks [Josh Falkingham], Mullers [Jack Muldoon] and Warren Burrell, just outstanding individuals on and off the pitch.

“Thommo is a shining light for the young players who are on are on our bench now or in the academy because he runs his life so well and is so dedicated, such a great player and professional.

"He was pivotal today, physical in the midfield, won the aerial things and also has great ability to know what’s around him – and obviously scored that great goal.”

Thomson has spent the majority of his Town career operating as a right-winger, but has also been deployed on the left flank, in the centre of the park, as an attacking midfielder and at right-back.

Sunday saw him handed a new position in the holding role just in front of Harrogate’s back line, and Weaver felt that the former Nottingham Forest trainee adapted well.

“I had a few thoughts after the Bradford game about a role just in front of that back four,” Weaver explained.

"Thommo has really come of age the last couple of years and matured, but he has that bite in there.

"He did ever so well in the FA Cup game here [in November] when he came off the bench after injury and ran the show from the middle of the park.

“He’s got a bit of oomph about him physically and a good spring in the air and we needed that today, so I thought that he would be able to screen the back four but also get hold of the ball.

“He got caught [in possession] once with a couple of seconds to go and I nearly had a heart-attack from that, but I can’t complain, I was delighted that he grabbed that responsibility and ran with it.”

Town looked in control of New Year’s Day’s contest for almost the entirety of the first period having taken a fourth-minute lead.

Sam Folarin nodded the ball down into the path of Luke Armstrong, whose flicked pass sent Pattison racing clear to confidently beat Killip, taking his tally for the season to seven goals.

Harrogate were however pegged back by a Josh Umerah strike shortly before half-time, then conceded again when Mohamed Sylla swept home from close range just seconds after the resumption.

Sam Folarin’s clinical one-on-one finish following a neat combination between Pattison and Armstrong got Town back on terms in the 49th minute, but despite being well on top during the period of the game which followed, the visitors found themselves trailing again as Mark Shelton curled beyond Pete Jameson just past the hour-mark.

Thomson, however, would eventually come to the Sulphurites’ rescue with an effort which will live long in the memory.

Sunday’s result keeps Town 19th in the League Two standings, but edges them a point further away from the relegation zone.

Weaver’s men now sit eight points clear of second-from-bottom Rochdale, albeit having played a game more.