Oldham Athletic 1 Harrogate Town 2: Patience pays off as George Thomson bags Boxing Day brace

George Thomson delivered Harrogate Town fans a belated Christmas present, scoring twice to sink Oldham Athletic on Boxing Day.
George Thomson fires home Harrogate Town's first goal against Oldham Athletic. Pictures: Matt KirkhamGeorge Thomson fires home Harrogate Town's first goal against Oldham Athletic. Pictures: Matt Kirkham
George Thomson fires home Harrogate Town's first goal against Oldham Athletic. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The 28-year-old midfielder netted one in each half as the Sulphurites recovered from an early setback at Boundary Park.

Hosts Oldham took an 19th-minute lead, very much against the run of play, when Conor McAleny converted from the penalty spot after Davis Keillor-Dunn went down in the box following slight contact from Warren Burrell.

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Harrogate saw plenty of chances come and go both before and after the Latics broke the deadlock, but would eventually open their account for the afternoon on the half-hour-mark.

George Thomson, right, leads the celebrations after putting his side 2-1 up at Boundary Park.George Thomson, right, leads the celebrations after putting his side 2-1 up at Boundary Park.
George Thomson, right, leads the celebrations after putting his side 2-1 up at Boundary Park.

And it was Thomson who finally got the better of the inspired Ian Lawlor, unleashing a precise first-time finish from the edge of the penalty area when Jack Muldoon helped Aaron Martin's flick-on into his path.

Oldham were reduced to 10 men shortly before half-time as a result of Bobby Grant's elbow on Jake Lawlor, and Town went on to make the most of their numerical advantage after the interval.

Brendan Kieran and Connor Hall were both involved in the build-up as the ball eventually found its way back to Thomson, who cut in from the right-hand side of the box and lashed a left-footed effort into the far corner of the Athletic goal.

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And, for Harrogate's match-winner, patience was key to completing Saturday's turnaround.

"When their lad got sent off in the first half it was important that we took advantage of that and made sure we won the game," Thomson said.

"It was a case of being patient. We didn't have to rush it, we said at half-time that we didn't have to score in the first five minutes of the second half.

"It was important to sort of take control of it, bide our time and wait for the right moment to prize them open and, in the end, we did that.

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"We've stuck to the game-plan, kept getting on it, kept moving the ball, probing away and we've got our rewards in the end."

Thomson has boasted an impressive goal-scoring record since joining Harrogate in the summer of 2017, yet began Saturday's game with just the one solitary strike to his name in 25 appearances.

Of his match-winning contribution, he said: "It was about time I chipped in with a goal or two.

"I put pressure on myself to make sure that I'm contributing, whether it be with goals or assists. I think it's important for me and my game that I'm contributing.

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"Since I missed those chances at Colchester [during October's 2-1 defeat] I've been dying to get on the score-sheet, so it was nice to see a couple fly in."

Saturday's victory was Town's second in three matches and lifts them up one place in the League Two standings to 16th position.