Harrogate Town 3-3 North Ferriby United: Clayton rescues point in rollercoaster fixture

Town looked to have given away three points when last year’s FA Trophy winners struck twice in the final minutes of normal time.

But Clayton headed home a precise cross from the excellent Joe Colbeck in injury-time to take a share of the spoils in a rollercoaster encounter.

It took just 68 seconds for the visitors to find the net. An innoxious throw-in from the right was poorly judged by Andy McWilliams and dropped to Ferriby midfielder Liam King, who chested down and scuffed a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Town responded positively and Paul Clayton failed to connect with Joe Colbeck’s searching cross before Lewis Turner blazed over from distance.

King headed narrowly over when free at the back post before giant striker Tom Denton saw a header drop wide under the nose of Peter Crook.

Like most of Town’s early promise, the equaliser came from the right hand side. Lewis Turner stood up a clever cross from the byline which found Dom Knowles to head into the far corner from four yards out.

Town continued to press, with Colbeck often driving them forward with pace and trickery.

It was from the opposite flank that the final chance of the first arrived from, though, as Daniels cut back off the wing and had a firm strike saved by Ferriby goalkeeper Adam Nicklin.

Town had their noses in front ten minutes into the second half when Brendan Daniels found the bottom corner with an incisive shot on the edge of the box.

Daniels went close again with a vicious free-kick that evaded everyone before Clayton failed to connect with another quality cross from Colbeck.

Ferriby kept plugging away, though. And after near misses for King and Danny Clarke, they got their opportunity to level from the penalty spot.

Lewis Turner slipped close to the edge of the box, and his momentum was enough to bring Ryan Kendall down, with King sending Crook the wrong way from 12 yards.

Two minutes later, Ferriby looked to have stolen the points when sub Danny Emerton prodded home Ryan Kendall’s pull-back, emanating from Dave McGurk’s foul on half-way.

But Town were not to be beaten. And, as so often had been the case throughout the match, the out-ball found Colbeck darting down the right and his precise cross was nodded home by Clayton in front of the home faithful.