HIGHLIGHTS: Harrogate Town stunned by remarkable FC United of Manchester comeback

Play-off hunting Harrogate Town let slip a three-goal lead to lose a dramatic seven-goal thriller at FC United of Manchester.

Town collapsed after a late sucker-punch reply in the first half and conceded three unanswered second half goals.

Louie Swain compounded the misery for Town after seeing red on the 61st minute.

The defeat dents Town's promotion aspirations seven days after the Simon Weaver's men hammered league leading Solihull Moors 6-0.

Town dropped out of the play-off zone into sixth place, with the gap to Solihull returning to ten points.

Town had continued where they left off against Solihull with first half goals from Brendon Daniels, Lloyd Kerry and Joe Colbeck.

Daniels spun in behind the FC United back line before finishing coolly on 22 minutes before Kerry smacked home the loose ball from a corner on the half hour.

The points looked to have been heading back to Harrogate when Colbeck emerged onto Paul Clayton's clever header and slotted home six minutes later.

But the comeback began in the 44th minute for the hosts when George Thomson's strike from distance somehow made it through a bundle of players into the bottom corner.

The goal changed the momentum of the fixture and within 33 seconds of the restart FC United had their second as Sam Sheridan found the bottom corner of Peter Crook's net.

With the game on a knife-edge, Town thought they had won a spotkick when Colbeck rounded the keeper but instead the right-midfielder was booked for simulation.

Soon after, United levelled as number nine Tom Greaves raced through and buried the ball into the bottom corner.

Town were all at sea at the back and the game was turned on its head when Sam Madeley beat Danny Ellis to the ball and raced through to score in the 57th minute.

The frustration told when Swain was red-carded three minutes later and United had further chances to punish Town but Peter Crook made a couple of fine saves late on.

(Highlights courtesy of FCUMTV)

Meanwhile, Harrogate Railway's home clash against Burscough in Evo-Stik First Division North was postponed.