Harrogate Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 1: Sulphurites show further signs of progress


The struggling Sulphurites more than matched their promotion-chasing visitors for long periods of Saturday’s League Two clash at Wetherby Road and deservedly led at the interval thanks to Josh March’s close-range header.
Indeed, the hosts twice came close to extending their advantage before Chris Long nodded in a 58th-minute equaliser, and although it was Crewe who finished the game in the ascendancy, Town were certainly good value for a point.
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Hide AdThat result means that Harrogate are now three games without a win, however Weaver is adamant that his team is in a much better place than it was in prior to a January transfer window that has seen them add six new faces and enabled him to revert to his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 formation.


“I think it fair to say that over the last six or seven games, we have looked a much better team, and we have continued that today,” he said.
“Of course we are all keen on getting wins on the board so that we climb away from the bottom third, but it starts with performances.
“I think we have been a different team that has come out and performed in recent weeks compared to in December. I think there is a completely different look about us and we are in games.
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Hide Ad“We have been in every single one of the last seven games and should have had more points to show for it - but I think we are progressing really well.”


Assessing Saturday’s contest as a whole, Weaver added: “Crewe are a top team. I think they are the best side we have played in some time, so I’m not overly disappointed with a point.
"It was a good game. It was a hard-fought, grind of a game, but we were both trying to play football.
"I was delighted to go in 1-0 up at the break, but we had to dig in at times in the second half and they scored a good goal.
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Hide Ad"So, all in all, although both teams were threatening to get the winner, I think it was probably a fair result.”
The first real chance of Saturday’s contest was gifted to Crewe by Town left-back Bryant Bilongo, whose dreadful attempted back-pass provided Long with a clear run on the home goal.
But, fortunately for Harrogate, the visiting attacker smashed his finish over the cross-bar with only James Belshaw to beat.
The hosts got their noses in front on 29 minutes. Bryn Morris’ dangerous left-wing corner was inadvertently headed back across goal by Crewe defender Mickey Demetriou, and March was on hand to nod home from seven yards out.
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Hide AdAnd Town came very close to doubling their lead, Morris blasting an edge-of-the-box effort off the frame of the goal just before half-time, while Levi Sutton’s long-range drive flashed just past the upright early in the second period.
Long then squared things up in the 58th minute, heading Matus Holicek’s cross from the right into the bottom corner from point-blank range.
Harrogate stopper Belshaw was then required to make a couple of big saves to deny Omar Bogle and Tom Lowery as the Railwaymen pushed for a winner.
It was however Harrogate who threatened to snatch all three points at the end, substitute Tom Cursons breaking from deep inside his own half following a Crewe corner, but firing narrowly wide following a fine run.
Saturday’s result keeps Town 20th in the League Two standings, with the gap to the relegation zone now seven points.
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