Harrogate Town 2 Crewe Alexandra 2: Late goals cost Sulphurites two points in fight for survival

Harrogate Town were held to a 2-2 draw by Crewe Alexandra on Saturday afternoon. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

Goals from Jack Muldoon and Kazeem Olaigbe had the Sulphurites deservedly on course for a first home win in five attempts, one that would have edged them five points clear of the relegation zone.

But Dan Agyei’s 82nd-minute penalty got the Railwaymen back in the contest before Tariq Uwakwe struck to level matters with stoppage-time approaching.

It was Simon Weaver’s men who were the better side for the majority of the contest, and it required a double-save from visiting goalkeeper Dave Richards to prevent Anthony O’Connor and then Luke Armstrong handing the hosts an early lead.

Kazeem Olaigbe celebrates after firing Harrogate Town into a 2-0 lead against Crewe Alexandra.

Alex Pattison was off target with a free header before Town did break the deadlock when Armstrong nodded the ball towards Olaigbe, whose clever flick on the edge of the box dropped for Muldoon, who beat Richards with a controlled first-time finish to register his second goal in as many games.

Muldoon and Pattison then combined to create an opportunity for Armstrong, though his finish ended up narrowly the wrong side of the upright before Olaigbe’s blast was well kept out by Richards.

Despite Harrogate looking to be in full control of proceedings, Crewe almost levelled matters just before the interval with Mark Oxley turning Elliott Nevitt’s effort onto the post then denying Callum Ainsley on the follow-up.

Ahead at the break, a delightful bit of interplay earned Weaver’s men a corner on 52 minutes, and when the Alex failed to clear their lines, Olaigbe rifled home his side’s second of the afternoon.

With Crewe not really threatening to get themselves back into the contest, Town appeared to be heading for a fairly comfortable win as the clock ticked past the 80-minute-mark.

But, just as was the case at Salford City in midweek where they conceded a late equaliser to draw 1-1, the Sulphurites failed to see the game out.

O’Connor’s foul on Agyei inside the box saw Crewe awarded a penalty, which Agyei dispatched confidently to halve the deficit, then Uwakwe struck with a minute of normal time remaining to make it 2-2.

Defeats elsewhere for Crawley and Rochdale see Town move a point further away from the bottom two, though victory for Gillingham means that the Sulphurites have dropped one place to 21st.