Harrogate Town 1 Northampton Town 1: Sulphurites edge a point further away from League Two drop zone

Luke Armstong scores Harrogate Town's equalising goal during Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Northampton Town. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

Luke Armstrong’s 11th goal of the season cancelled out Mitch Pinnock’s deflected opener less than a minute after the Sulphurites had fallen behind on what was a wet and windy Tuesday evening at Wetherby Road.

And that result combined with second-from-bottom Crawley’s defeat to Tranmere Rovers leaves Simon Weaver's team on 31 points for the season, five clear of the relegation places in 21st position.

The first half was an uneventful affair, the Cobblers making the better start in difficult conditions but failing to trouble home custodian Mark Oxley.

Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong, left, celebrates his 11th goal of the season with team-mate Toby Sims.

Having struggled to make much of an impression as an attacking force of late and drawn blanks against Grimsby and Swindon in their previous two outings, Harrogate again looked fairly toothless during the opening 45 minutes.

But they did create the first clear opening of the evening as Levi Sutton swung over an inviting right-wing cross which the unmarked Danny Grant headed wide when he ought to have done better.

And the Sulphurites went close again just seconds after the resumption, Kazeem Olaigbe whipping an effort just over the top of the Northampton cross-bar.

Two minutes later they were however behind, as the Cobblers struck with what was their first effort on target.

Olaigbe carelessly gave the ball away inside his own half and Pinnock was able to advance infield from the left and unleash a low, 25-yard shot which deflected off Anthony O’Connor and beyond the despairing dive of Oxley.

Given their recent struggles, it wouldn’t have been a huge surprise if Harrogate heads had dropped at that point, though their response was instantaneous.

Jack Muldoon found some space down the left and pulled a cross back towards Armstrong at the near post. He then found Josh Falkingham, who was crowded out, but the ball broke for Armstrong on the edge of the area and he slid a composed finish across Tom King for 1-1 on 50 minutes.

The ante upped, both sides began to go about their business with a bit more intent and Grant’s dangerous low delivery from the Town right somehow missed a trio of home players who tried to get on the end of it.

O’Connor then got his head to Grant’s left-wing corner, though his close-range effort was tame and straight at King.

At the other end, the hosts defended resolutely, and although Northampton launched a series of hopeful long balls towards the home box late on, Weaver’s men never looked in any real danger of conceding.