Harrogate Town 1 Tranmere Rovers 1: Simon Weaver satisfied with 'another step forward'

Matty Daly’s 37th-minute strike set the Sulphurites on their way to what would have been a third consecutive victory, and although that goal was cancelled out by Jordan Turnbull’s second-half equaliser, a share of the spoils rounds off a decent week for the club.

Winless in 10 matches prior to back-to-back triumphs over Hartlepool and Morecambe, Weaver feels his side are starting to show signs of real progress.

"It’s a satisfying point against difficult opposition,” the Town chief reflected.

"They’re the form team in the league, winning five on the bounce without conceding, so we thought that if we could remain unbeaten after the way the last week has gone then it would be another step forward.

"And, I think it was. We were absolutely superb in the first half and obviously they were always going to have a spell, which they did in the second, because they’ve got good players.

"We dropped off a bit after half-time and went into protective mode. We said to the players at half-time ‘it’s hard, but imagine it’s still 0-0 and start the game again’, but it became a bit like a basketball match.

"They settled on the second balls and got us on the back foot. We were dropping, they were getting up the pitch and we probably got a bit of tunnel vision. So, we’ll learn from it, but overall, it was a good team effort.”

Town looked destined to fall behind after a quarter of an hour when a cross from the right found an unmarked Elliot Nevitt in space at the far post. He had time to take a touch before unleashing a strike which seemed destined for the back of the net until Kayne Ramsay intervened, making a superb last-ditch block.

Matty Daly had Town’s first effort at goal of any real note soon afterwards, dragging a left-footed shot wide of the near post having been picked out on the edge of the box by Josh Falkingham’s pinpoint pass.

Clear-cut chances were at a premium, but Harrogate were able to make inroads down their left, with marauding full-back Jaheim Headley very much to the fore.

Fellow Huddersfield loanee Daly also caught the eye in a number 10 role, and it was he who started and then finished the move which saw the deadlock broken eight minutes before half-time.

His cute pass played Danny Grant through on goal and Town’s left-winger rounded Tranmere goalkeeper Ross Doohan, but saw his finish thud against the base of the upright.

However, with the visiting defence sleeping, Armstrong did well to nip in and steal possession back before the ball was worked to Daly just outside the area, from where he let fly with a sweetly-struck low shot which was deflected past Doohan.

Town made it into the interval with their lead intact, though they suffered a real blow in the 43rd minute when experienced centre-half Joe Mattock went down injured and had to be replaced.

The loss of Mattock was to prove significant as Warren Burrell dropped in to take his place in the Sulphurites’ back-four and the control which the Harrogate had played with during the opening 45 disappeared.

Burrell did a good job next to Rory McArdle at the heart of the hosts’ defence, though with substitute Josh Austerfield largely anonymous, Town were overrun in midfield at times as Tranmere spent most of the second period on the front foot.

With Rovers pressing, Pete Jameson showed a safe pair of hands as he swallowed Dynel Simeu’s header from a right-wing corner, but the visitors pulled level in the 57th minute following a set-piece delivery from the opposite side of the pitchesKane Hemmings rose at the near post and flicked the ball on and into the six-yard-box, where Turnbull outmuscled Ramsay and prodded home at the second attempt.

The Merseysiders continued to turn the screw, Josh Hawkes sending a tame effort straight at Jameson before Hemmings’ low strike from outside the box forced the Harrogate custodian to dive low to his left and touch the ball around his post.

Town eventually managed to get themselves a bit higher up the pitch and, having weathered the storm, they began to ask a few questions of their own during the closing stages.

Armstrong exchanged passes with Burrell before drilling a venomous strike narrowly over the top, then Daly played substitute Sam Folarin in behind down the left, but with just Doohan to beat he opted to try and square the ball, allowing Lee O’Connor to nip in and clear the danger.

Saturday’s result keeps Harrogate 20th in the League Two standings, but they now sit three points clear of the relegation zone.