Harrogate Town 1 Hartlepool United 2: Sulphurites punished for lacklustre display

Harrogate Town were punished for a lack-lustre performance at home to Hartlepool United, going down 2-1 at Wetherby Road.
Luke Armstrong netted his 13th goal of the season during Harrogate Town's 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool United. Picture: Matt KirkhamLuke Armstrong netted his 13th goal of the season during Harrogate Town's 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool United. Picture: Matt Kirkham
Luke Armstrong netted his 13th goal of the season during Harrogate Town's 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool United. Picture: Matt Kirkham

Leading marksman Luke Armstrong fired the Sulphurites into a 21st-minute lead against his former club, however the visitors were the better side for the majority of Saturday afternoon's contest and deservedly fought back to take all three points.

The opening 20 minutes passed by without any incident of note at either end before Town got their noses in front from what was their first clear sight of goal.

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Jack Muldoon's touch played strike partner Armstrong in behind the Pools defence on the left-hand edge of the penalty and Harrogate's leading scorer cut inside and stroked a composed, low finish beyond the exposed Ben Killip.

That goal having arrived pretty much out of nowhere, the visitors got themselves back on terms four minutes later with another effort out of the blue.

Luke Molyneux drove infield from wide on the right and past Lewis Richards before bending a delicious curling drive around the despairing dive of Mark Oxley and into the top corner.

With Harrogate lacking any real intensity with the ball and too passive out of possession, Pools looked the more likely to go on and grab the game's next goal with half-time approaching.

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And they came within a whisker of getting it with 25 minutes on the clock when Tom Crawford planted a low shot narrowly the wrong side of Oxley's left-hand upright.

Town made a brighter start to the second period, but soon found themselves under pressure as Graeme Lee's men began to work up a head of steam.

And it took an excellent reaction save from Oxley to keep out Omar Bogle's goal-bound blast after the powerhouse striker was played in down the left.

Grey was then inches away from forcing in Sterry's cross from the right at the back post, before the latter forced Oxley to tip over following David Ferguson's centre.

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A goal seemed as if it was coming, and it did indeed materialise on 63 minutes after Bogle used his strength to hold the ball up inside the box before pulling it back for Ferguson to into the bottom corner.

Having been second best for the best part of half-an-hour, the final 15 saw Harrogate switch to a 4-4-2 system and suddenly show a bit of intent when they had the ball.

And they should have drawn level when substitute Calum Kavanagh met Lewis Page's low cross from the left inside the six-yard-box, only to clear the cross-bar when it looked easier to score.

Jack Diamond then drew a good stop out Ben Killip with a fierce effort, before Kavanagh missed what looked to be another glorious opportunity, heading over the at the far post from fellow replacement Simon Power's right-wing delivery.

Pools had all 11 men behind the ball by this stage, but they managed to hold out fairly comfortably at the death as Town's late rally faded to nothing.