Harrogate Town relegated from League Two following final-day defeat to Barnet FC

A victory would have been enough to save the Sulphurites after fellow strugglers Crawley and Tranmere Rovers both failed to win, but an inability to covert some big chances at the start of the second half meant that they finished the day where they began it - inside the League Two drop zone.

With Newport a goal down at rock-bottom Barrow until the latter stages of that game, a draw would have kept Simon Weaver’s men up, however the Exiles managed to turn things around to lead 2-1 up in Cumbria.

And once Barnet snatched an undeserved 82nd-minute advantage at Wetherby Road, Town were left facing a mountain to climb. Unfortunately for them, there was to be no late fightback on this occasion.

Despite the result, there was actually very little wrong with Harrogate’s performance on the day. Indeed, had they played as they did against the Bees with more regularity, they would currently be looking forward to a seventh season in the Football League.

But, with so much at stake, the hosts could have done without falling behind with just five minutes on the clock.

Under no pressure whatsoever, centre-half Cathal Heffernan drastically under hit an attempted pass back to Mark Oxley, gifting Kabongo Tshimanga a clear run on goal.

The sprawling frame of Oxley managed to prevent the Barnet striker from finishing that gift-wrapped opportunity himself, though Callum Stead was on hand to roll the ball into a gaping net.

A slightly uncomfortable spell followed, and Oxley was required to beat away at Tshimanga blast before Town settled back into the contest.

Bryn Morris forced Cieran Slicker into a good save with a well-struck free-kick, and from the resulting corner, Slater was brought down by Romoney Crichlow, earning his side a penalty.

Morris took responsibility from 12 yards and, after a long delay, calmly fired home from the spot to level matters just before the half-hour.

Having shaded the remainder of the opening 45, Town began the second period superbly.

And they came within inches of taking the lead when Shawn McCoulsky skinned his marker wide on the left, then showed searing pace as he accelerated into the box before crashing an effort against the underside of the cross-bar.

Tom Hill then met Reece Smith’s low cross from the left in awkward fashion, but with a big chunk of the goal to aim at, the ex-Liverpool FC man could only send a first-time effort wide of the mark.

The Sulphurites kept pushing, and three times on-loan Wigan Athletic midfielder Tobias Brenan found himself in possession of the ball just outside the Barnet box, however on each occasion he fluffed his lines.

Worse was to come. Having run in behind and been left with time and space to beat the exposed Slicker, Brenan made a complete mess of the finish.

Hill then embarked on a driving run through the middle of the pitch and cracked a left-footed shot narrowly wide, before Jack Evans did similar but blazed over the top when he should have played Hill in.

At the other end, Oxley had already been required to produce one sharp reaction stop to deny Mark Shelton at his near post, and was then called upon to make two more big saves as the tide began to turn.

Disaster then struck in the 82nd minute when Barnet got in behind down their left and substitute Phil Chinedu was able to force the ball beyond Oxley.

Town didn’t give up, and knowing that a goal for Salford at Crawley would mean that a draw would be sufficient to save them, pressed hard for a late leveller.

Smith and substitute Stephen Duke-McKenna both managed to get shots off, before Heffernan took aim from distance and stung the palms of Slicker.

A scramble in the away box then ended with Morris drilling a low strike agonisingly wide following a scramble, and with that miss Harrogate found themselves on their way back to non-league.

Saturday’s defeat means that Town finish 2025/26 second from bottom of League Two, one point behind 22nd-placed Crawley with a tally of 39 points from their 46 games this term.